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b  P^^..,u  ^x^re^^^^;^  //4 


l^■i^■7^'U  ^X-^Ci^/r;^  /yA, 


^^Z'T-*-/'  — 


^.  ;Z3;^" 


:3 


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ON  PLYMOUTH   ROCK 


SAMUEL    ADAMS    DRAKE 


"Here  %vas  the  i'il^iin  Kaiid" 


ILLUSTRATED 


BOSTON 

LEE    AND    SHEPARD     PUBLISHERS 

lo    Milk    Street 

1897 


Copyright,  1897,  by  Samuel  Adams  Drake 


All  rights  reserved 
On     Plymouth     Rock 


PRESS   OF 

ISlocfetofll  anH  CljurcJifll 

BOSTON,     U.S.A. 


PREFACE 


There  are  some  things  which  the  young  people- 
of  this  country  should  know  by  heart.  Foremost 
among  them  is  the  simple,  yet  noble,  story  of  the 
Pilgrim  Fathers.  How  much  this  story  transcends 
all  others  was  latel\-  emphasized  b\-  the  high  honors 
paid  to  the  ancient  manuscript  history  of  Plymouth 
Colony,  written  by  Governor  Bradford,  upon  its 
return  to  its  rightful  owners,  in  this  country. 
Nobody  can  read  it  without  being  deeply  moved. 
It  takes  us  back,  along  the  deep-flowing  river  of 
time,  to  the  \-ery  fountain-head  of  our  national  life. 
It  is  a  story  to  be  proud  of.  Not  to  the  book 
alone,  but  to  the  grand  heroism  it  tells  us  of,  the 
sterling  character  it  reveals,  were  these  high  honors 
paid.  To  the  faint-hearted  there  is  a  strengthening 
power  in  its  pages.  To  the  strong  it  is  a  splendid 
example  of  serene  fortitude,  of  high  resolve. 


6  PREFACE 

Holding  these  views,  I  liave  given  as  much  of 
Bradford's  own  story  as  possible  in  the  following 
pages,  interwoven  with  the  relations  of  Mourt  and 
Winslow,  to  which  Bradford  himself  makes  frequent 
reference.  Regarded  merely  as  showing  the  steps 
by  which  our  first  New  England  colony  was 
founded,  it  is  both  valuable  and  instructive.  I  do 
not  try  to  go  beyond  the  reach  of  young  minds. 
My  chief  object  has  been  to  infuse  the  true  spirit 
of  the  ancient  narratives  into  my  own.  But  let 
the  story  speak  for  itself. 

July,  1897. 


CONTENTS 


Chapter 

1.  The  Land  and  the  Ship 

11.     Exploring  Cape    Cod 

III.  Second  Searchinc;  Party     . 

IV.  Third  and  Last  Seakch 
V.  Buii,DiN(,  the  Town     ... 

VI.  The  (iREAt  Sickness'. 

VII.  The  Coaiinc  ok  King  Massasoit    . 

VIII.  A  Journey  to  Pokanoket 

IX.       A    V^OYAGE    TO    NaUSET 

X.  A  Search    for    Corbitant"s  Head 

XI.  A  Voyage  to  Massachusetts    .     .      .      . 

XII.     Harvest    Home 

XI II       .More   Colonists  Akrh'e 

XIV.     A  Snake  in  the  Grass 

XV.     The  Fishermen's   Gift 

XVI.  Master  Weston's  Colony      .... 

XVII.  A  Good  Deed  never  Goes  Unrewarded. 

XVIII.  Weston's  Colony  Breaks  Up    ...     . 

XIX.     The  Great    Drouth     


Page 

9 
•7 

2  5 
33 
44 
57 
68 
76 
89 
95 

lOI 

1 09 
119 
126 
^33 
139 
'49 
158 
165 


LIST   OF    ILLUSTRATIONS 


P:ige 

The  Dotex  House,  Oldest  in  Plv.moltii.       Frontispiece 

Outline  Map,  Cape  Cod 1 1 

A  Fishing  Shallop  of  the  Time  ....  15 

Mode  of  Building  a  Wigwa.m 3c 

Black-fish  on  the  Be.vch 36 

Peregrine  White's  x-Vpple-tree 42 

Map  of  Plymouth  B.w  and  Town 45 

Forefathers'  Rock,   1S75 47 

Leyden  Street  (the  finst  to  be  built  upon)     ...  z^t^ 

The  Town  Square,  in  1874 59 

The  Allyne  House,  Cole's  Hill 79 

Autographs  of  the  Pilgri.ms •  9- 

Squaw  Rock,  Squantu.m,  Mass 103 

Spreading  Himself  for  THANKSGi\'iNfi   .                .  iio 

What  the  Hunters  Brought  In 112 

Edward  Winslow 134 

The  Graves  of  Burial  Hill     ...          ...  136 

A  Street  in  Plymouth 131 

Bradford's  Monu.ment 171 


ON     PLYMOUTH     ROCK 


THE    LAND    AND    THE    SHIP 

In  a  certain   barren  corner  of  New  England,  on 

a  bleak  November  day  of  the  year   1620,  a  little 

weather-beaten  ship  gently  rose  and  fell    on   the 

long  ground  swell   that  swept  on  past  her  to  the 

shores  beyond.      Her  rusty  anchor  was  down,  her 

stiffening  sails  furled.  Like  some  soli- 
November  n,    .  U"     T     U1  i.  L 

jg2o  tary  sea   bnxl,  blown  to  a  strange  coast, 

she,  too,  had  silently  folded  her  weary 
wings,  and  gladly  settled  down  upon  the  quiet 
waters  of  a  thrice-welcome  haven  of  rest. 

But  why  has  the  strange  ship  battled  with 
storm  and  tempest  to  reach  this  distant  coast? 
What  seeks  she  in  this  lonely  spot?  Why  comes 
she  here? 


lO  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

On  board  this  ship  were  a  hundred  and  two 
men,  women,  and  children,  who,  with  one  heart 
and  mind,  now  knelt  down,  and  gave  heartfelt 
thanks  to  God,  for  having  brought  them  safely 
over  the  wide  and  stormy  ocean  at  last.  And 
now  they  eagerly  look  about  them,  to  see  what 
manner  of  land  this   is   before   them. 

What  could  they  see  but  a  lonely  wilderness  of 
drifted  sand  hills,  streaked  with  fresh-fallen  snow, 
and  half  hid  beneath  a  shaggy  coat  of  bare  woods 
and  thickets,  which  their  fears  peopled  with  wild 
beasts  or  savage  men?  Truly,  it  was  enough  to 
send  a  shiver  through  the  stoutest  frame.  Here 
were  no  friends  to  welcome  them,  no  inns  to 
refresh  them,  no  towns  or  houses  in  which  to  find 
shelter.  Except  the  gulls  screaming  above  their 
heads,  not  a  living  creature  was  in  sight.  Yet 
here  they  meant  to  make  their  home,  God  willing; 
and  their  full  hearts  could  go  up  in  prai,se  to 
Him,  at  the  sight  even  of  this  desolate  spot. 

It  was  the  good  ship  "  Mayflower,"  two  months 
out  of  England,  with  people  from  Holland  and 
England,  come  to  begin  a  colony  by  themselves 
and     for    themselves,    where     man's    cruelty    and 


Till-:    LAXD   AND   THE    SHIP 


II 


oppression    could    not    reach    them.     They    were 
exiles    from     home     and     country.      Not    without 


Outline  Map,  Cape  Cod. 
(The  flags  show  the  limits  of  successive  explorations.) 

many  tears  had  they  parted  from  dear  friends  and 
kindred,  but  one  and  all  believed  that  God  himself 


12  ON    I'LYMOUTII    RUCK 

was  leading  them  on,  and  their  simple  faith  was 
stronger  than  all  the  world  besides. 

Yet  all  was  not  as  it  should  be  with  them.  The 
ship  had  been  hired  to  take  them  to  a  place  much 
farther  south,  of  which  they  had  heard  good  re- 
port, but  after  a  vain  attempt  to  double  the  cape 
before  them,  the  captain  had  put  back  here,  de- 
claring that  he  would  go  no  farther.  This  land, 
stretching  far  and  away  around  them,  under  the 
chill  November  sky,  was  Cape  Cod  —  a  desert 
place,  beaten  upon  by  the  winds  and  waves.  But 
as  the  captain  would  no  more  budge  an  inch  than 
his  anchor,  the  poor  colonists  had  to  make  the 
best  of  a  bad  bargain. 

Besides  playing  them  such  a  scurvy  trick,  the 
master,  a  rude,  blunt  sailor,  made  no  secret  of  his 
wish  to  be  rid  of  them  ;  for  the  voyage  had  been 
long,  the  season  was  getting  stormy,  and  with  so 
many  mouths  to  feed,  he  was  afraid,  or  pretended 
to  be,  that  the  ship  would  run  short  of  victuals  for 
the  voyage  home. 

So  therd  was  really  no  time  to  lose,  for  even 
should  the  hard-hearted  captain  relent,  frost  and 
snow  could  not  be  put  off  by  prayers  or  entreaties. 


THE    LAM)    AND   THE    SIIIl'  1 3 

Therefore,  the  need  to  be  up  iind  doing  was  most 
urL^^cnt,  as  all  could  see  for  themselves. 

Yet  there  were  worse  things  in  the  way  than 
rough  weather,  or  a  captain  who  treated  thetn  as 
if  they  were  only  so  much  freight,  to  be  tumbled 
on  shore  as  soon  as  possible.  By  landing  them 
here  he  would  leave  them  in  a  sad  predicament, 
because  they  knew  that  they  could  have  no  right 
to  a  foot  of  ground,  except  in  the  place  for 
which  they  had  a  writing,  or  patent,  from  Eng- 
land. It  was  really  too  bad  that  after  so  much 
time  and  money  spent  in  getting  it,  their  patent 
should  be  only  so  much  waste  paper.  Yet  so 
it  was. 

It  was  bad  again,  because,  under  it,  John  Carver 
already  had  been  chosen  governor ;  so  that  when- 
ever the  colonists  should  step  on  shore,  their  civil 
government  would  be  instantly  in  force.  But  now 
one  man  was  just  as  good  as  another;  and  certain 
unruly  ones  among  them  had  not  hesitated  to  say 
so.     This  was  anarchy. 

This  being  so,  the  wise  ones  said  they  would 
not  set  foot  on  shore  until  some  new  plan  of  gov- 
ernment was  agreed  upon,  to  take  the  place  of  the 


14  ON    I'LYMOUTII    ROCK 

old,  as  now  the)-  liad  none  at  all  ;  and  that  would 
never  do.  So  a  writing  was  drawn  up 
Compact.  i'l  the  cabin,  binding  all  to  obey  such 
laws  as  they  themselves  should  make 
in  future.  Then,  on  this  very  eleventh  day  of 
November,  all  the  male  colonists  were  called  upon 
to  sign  it.  As  John  Carver's  name  heads  the  list, 
we  may  suppose  the  pen  was  first  handed  him, 
as  the  one  most  looked   up  to   among  them. 

How  can  we  help  respecting  men  who  showed 
such  respect  for  the  law?  True,  at  this  time 
they  did  not  make  any  laws  that  we  know  of; 
but  power  had  been  given  to  make  them  as  they 
should  be  needed,  and  a  curb  put  upon  those  who 
had  fancied  that  they  were  to  be  their  own  masters. 
John  Carver  was  chosen,  or  rechosen,  governor, 
and  things  being  now  once  more  in  the  right  road, 
the  work  before  them  was  quickly  taken  in  hand. 
That  no  time  should  be  wasted,  on  this  same 
day  some  fifteen  or  sixteen  well-armed  men 
went  on  shore   to  explore   the  ground 

First  . 

Landing.         rouud    about  them,   and   also   to  see   it 

any  of  the  native  inhabitants  could  be 

met  with  ;    for  as  yet  no  human    being  had  been 


THE    LAND    AND   THE    SHIP 


15 


seen  there,  which  was  thouj^ht  to  be  a  strange 
thing.  Yet  it  was  important  to  know  whether 
these  people  would  be  friends  or  foes,  as  upon 
that  knowledge  their  own  peace  and  safety  much 
depended,   if  they  were  to   live  as   neighbors. 


A  Fishing  Shallop  of  the  Time. 

Some  others  also  went  to  fetch  firewood,  there 
being  none  left  in  the  ship  ;  so  that  the  first  work 
was  done  under  the  protection  of  an  armed  guard. 
They  said  that  the  place  was  nothing  but  sand 
hills,  covered  over  with  a  crust  of  black  earth, 
and  wooded  with  many  such  trees  as  grew  in 
Old  England.  We  do  not  think  that  they  half 
liked   the  looks   of  the   place. 


l6  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

Nobody  worked  on  the  next  day,  because  it 
was  the  Sabbath,  and  these  were  a  pious  people. 
But  Monday  was  a  busy  day ;  for,  after  being 
cooped  up  so  long  in  the  ship,  the  colonists  were 
all  impatience  to  set  foot  on  dry  land  again. 
They  had  brought  with  them  a  large  sail  boat, 
called  a  shallop,  which  could  go  into  shallow 
water  where  the  ship  would  run  aground.  As 
the  shallop  needed  repairing  before  she  could  be 
used,  she  was  now  taken  on  shore  for  the  carpen- 
ter to  go  to  work  upon. 

Most  of  the  company  also  went  on  shore,  in- 
cluding the  women,  who,  it  may  well  be  supposed, 
were  only  too  glad  of  a  chance  to  do  their  wash- 
ing where  there  was  plenty  of  elbow-room.  The 
lonely  beach  was  soon  turned  into  a  picture  of 
life  and  activity,  the  like  of  which  has  not  been 
seen  there  from  that  day  to  this ;  for,  no  doubt, 
the  wash  was  a  large  one,  and  such  rubbing,  and 
scrubbing,  and  pounding,^  with  the  sound  of  so 
many  merry  voices,  must  have  made  the  wild 
woods  ring  again. 

1  The  teacher  should  explain  that  a  wooden  bat  was  then  used  to  beat 
the  clothes  with.  As  this  was  Monday,  it  may,  not  improbably,  have 
fi:;ed  that  day  as  the  regular  washing-day  in  New  England. 


EXPLURING   CAPE   COD  \^ 


II 


EXPLORING    CAPE    COD 

Every  day  the  master  grew  more  and  more 
impatient;  and  even  the  sailors  were  heard 
muttering  among  themselves  that,  if  the  passen- 
gers did  not  make  haste,  they  and  their  goods 
would  be  put  on  shore  to  shift  for  themselves.  So 
utterly  selfish  do  men  sometimes  become  in  the 
presence  of  possible  hardship   or  privation  ! 

The  colonists  were  as  eager  as  anybody  could 
be  to  get  settled  somewhere  before  cold  weather 
should  set  in.  Not  a  man  of  them  but  knew  that 
every  moment  was  precious.  Therefore,  while  the 
shallop  was  being  mended,  a  strong  party  set  out 
on  foot  to  look  for  a  better  place  than  the  one 
they  were  now  in,  for  this  was  quite  too  barren  ; 
and  besides  they  could  find  no  water  fit  to  drink 
there. 

The  party  went  armed  to  the  teeth,  thinking 
they  might  have  to  fight  with  the  Indians.    Besides 


1 8  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

carrying    a    sword    and    gun,    each    man    wore    a 

breastplate  over  his  coat,  and  carried  a  knapsack 

strapped  on  his  back  as  if  going  to  war.      Myles 

Standish  was  captain.     They  were  to  be 

November  15.  1  1       ■ 

gone  two  days,  and  were  to  let  their 
friends  know  where  they  camped  by  lighting 
beacon  fires  at  their  camp  grounds  So  off 
they  started  across  the  wet  sands,  with  all  the 
world  before  them  to  choose  from,  as  one  might 
say. 

When  they  had  trudged   on   a  mile  or  so,  who 

should   they  see  but  five  or  six  men,  with  a  dog, 

coming    toward     them.      At    first,    the    explorers 

thought  they  might  be  some  strolling  sailors  from 

the   ship,    until,    all    of    a    sudden,    the 

First  Indians.  1   •      1      1  1      •        1 

strange  men  whistled  to  their  dog  and 
ran  away  as  fast  as  their  legs  would  carry  them. 
They  were  then  known  to  be  savages,  sure  enough. 
The  white  men  pushed  on  after  the  runaways 
as  fast  as  they  could,  but  soon  found  out  that  they 
were  no  match  for  such  nimble-footed  fellows  as 
these.  After  a  long,  hard  chase  through  the 
woods,  the  savages  were  lost  sight  of  entirely. 
Perhaps  they  had   heard  of  the  strange  ship,  and 


KXI'LORIXf;    CAPE    COD  I9 

were  on  their  way  to  it  when  discovered.  But  it 
puzzled  the  white  men  to  know  why  the  Indians 
should  be  so  afraid  of  them. 

After  tracking  the  runaways  by  their  footprints, 
where  they  had  run  out  of  the  woods  and  along 
the  sands,  the  weary  explorers  gave  up  the  chase 
for  the  time,  and  went  into  camp  for  the  night, 
meaning  to  try  again  in  the  morning.  So  some 
watched,  while  the  others  slept,  and  thus  passed 
their  first  night  ever  spent  on  shore. 

As  soon  as  it  was  light,  the  track  was  again  fol- 
lowed through  hill  and  dale,  until  the  pursuers 
found  themselves  entangled  among  thickets  so 
dense    and  so   wiry  that    not    only  was 

November  16. 

the  path  lost,  but  the  white  men  were 
so  torn,  and  bruised,  and  scratched  that  they  were 
ready  to  drop  before  the\'  could  force  their  way 
out.  It  really  seemed  as  if  the  wily  savages  had 
purposely  led  them  astray. 

They  soon  chanced  upon  some  clear  springs  of 

water,  by  the  side  of  which  they  threw 
First  Spring     thcmselvcs     dowu,    and    with    gladness 

Water.  ^^ 

drank  great  draughts  of  the  first  New 
England  water  they  had  }'et  tasted.      Long  they 


20  ON    I'LVMOUTII    ROCK 

loitered  over  their  new-found  treasure,  but  having 
at  length  got  fully  rested,  they  first  marched  down 
to  the  beach  to  build  a  signal-fire,  as  was  agreed 
upon,  and  then  struck  off  toward  a  river,  of  which 
glimpses  had  been  caught  from  the  ship. 

While  tramping  along  on  their  way  to  this  river, 
they  stumbled  upon  some  old  cornfields,  and 
beyond  these  again  they  found  where  a  wigwam 
had  stood,  with  some  old  planks  and  a  ship's  great 
kettle  lying  on  the  ground  about  it.  Plainly,  this 
had  been  the  summer  resort  of  some  Indian  family, 
who,  after  gathering  in  their  corn,  had 

Indian  Dwell-  \         i       ^        L^      •  -ii  •„ 

gone  back    to  their  own  village  again. 

But  the  white  men  did  not  then  know 
the  habits  of  these  barbarians,  and  could  only 
wonder  at  what  they  saw.  But  where  in  the 
world  could  that  great  kettle  have  come  from? 
From  some  wreck,  perhaps. 

Upon  searching  further,  a  low  mound  of  sand 
was  found.  It  was  seen  to  have  been  made  with 
hands,  because  there  were  the  finger-marks,  where 
the  sand  had  been  patted  down  hard  and  smooth. 
What,  then,  could  it  be  for?  Some  hidden  treasure, 
perhaps.      The  explorers   agreed  to  dig  and  see. 


EXriJ^RIXC.    CAl'E    con  21 

So  after  forniing  a  rin^;',  to  hide  their  doings  from 
prying  eyes,  the}-  went  to  work  upon  tlie  mound 
with  their  swords,  for  other  tools  they  did  not 
have. 

A  treasure,  indeed,  it  proved.  To  their  great 
wonder  and  delight,  they  found  it  filled  with  as 
much  as  three  or  four  bushels  of  Indian  corn,  in 
baskets,  —  the  first  of  this  kind  of  grain  that  these 
Englishmen  had  ever  seen  in  their  lives.  They 
then    saw  that   these    mounds  were  the 

Indian  Barns.  ^ 

Indians  barns  or  granaries,  into  which 
their  corn  was  gathered,  after  harvest,  to  be  kept 
through  the  winter ;  and  it  showed  that  even  such 
rude  people  had  some  ideas  of  their  own,  as  well 
as  white  men. 

It  was  agreed  to  take  awa)^  as  much  of  the  corn 
as  would  do  for  seed  b\-  and  b}',  and  to  leave  the 
rest  just  as  it  was  found.  So  the  big  kettle  was 
filled  heaping  full,  each  man  crammed  his  pockets 
with  the  yellow  kernels,  after  which  the  mound  was 
covered  up  as  before.  The  kettle  was  then  slung 
up  on  the  shoulders  of  two  men,  and  not  with- 
out guilty  thoughts,  we  ma)'  suppose,  the  part\' 
mox'ed  off  again  to  the  river,  promising  themselves 


21  OX    I'LVMOl   ril    ROCK 

to  pay  the  owners  of  the  corn  whenever  they 
should  be  found.  In  tliis  case  we  must  admit 
that  the  white  men  did  not  do  exactly  as  they 
would    be  done  by. 

In  going  to  the  supposed  river  they  passed  along 
by  an  old  palisade,  or  rude  fort,  which  looked  as 
if  it  mightv  have  been  built  by  Europeans;  but 
nobody  was  there.  Upon  getting  to  the  river  they 
also  found  two  Indian  canoes  lying  on  the  banks, 
one  on  one  side  and  one  on  the  other,  showing 
that  the  natives  were  in  the  habit  of  travelling  this 
way  from  time  to  time,  this  place  being  their  ferry. 
If  only  we  could  have  listened  to  the  conversation 
among    the  white  men,   as  they  talked 

Indian  Ferry. 

over  the  things  seen  thus  far  in  their 
travels,  how  glad  we  should  be  !  It  was  all  so  new 
and  strange  to  them  !  But  we  are  fortunate  even 
to  know  what  they  did  ;  for  how  could  these  men 
suppose  that,  some  day,  the  whole  world  would  be 
talking  about  them? 

After  looking  over  this  place  a  little,  which  was 
Pamet  river,  the  explorers  turned  back  as  they 
were  ordered.  A  wet  time  they  had  of  it  that 
night  in   the  woods,  crouching   under  a    heap  of 


EXl'I.ORIX(;    CAi'K    COD  23 

brushwood,  with  the  wind  moaning  in  the  tree- 
tops,  and  the  rain  beating  down  upon  them  so 
pitilessly.  And  in  the  morning  their  guns  were 
so  damp  that  they  would  not  go  off  until  the\'  had 
been  well  cleaned  and  dried;  so  that  every  man 
bestirred  himself  to  put  his  arms  in  order,  as  there 
was  no  knowing  how  soon  the  owners  of  the  corn 
might  tr\'  to  fall  upon  them  unawares. 

After  starting  off  again  for  the  ship,  the  ex- 
plorers lost  their  way  in  the  woods.  While 
wandering  about  to  no  purpose,  some  of  them 
ran  across  a  sapling,  bent  down  to  the  ground, 
with  some  acorns  strewed  underneath  it.  Stephen 
Hopkins  said  it  was  a  deer-trap.  Will- 
trap^"  ^  '^"^^  Bradford,^  who  was  behind,  also 
came  up  to  have  a  look  at  it.  and  was 
turning  awa\',  when,  with  a  sudden  jerk,  up  went 
the  sapling  in  the  air,  and  up  went  Bradford's  leg, 
caught  in  it.  With  many  a  laugh  at  his  expense, 
no  doubt,  the  wa}^  in  which  the  Indians  took  the 
wild   deer  was   now  full}'  explained. 

The  explorers  afterward  started  three  fine 
bucks,  but,  as  one  of  them  slyly  said,  the}-  would 
much  rather  have  had  one  of  them.     Three  brace 


24  <^N    I'LYMOUTir    ROCK 

of  partridges,  and  great  numbers  of  wild  ducks 
and  geese,  were  also  seen  by  the  way,  before  the 
weary  explorers  got  back  to  their  ship,  to  tell 
their  adventures  around   the  cabin  fire. 

1  The  same  who  wrote  the  great  history. 


SECOND    SEARCHING    I'ARTV  25 


III 

SECOND    SEARCHING    PARTY 

As  soon  as  the  shallop  was  made  read}',  another 
party  sailed  in  her  to  explore  the  river  spoken  of 
before.  As  this  was  to  be  a  sea  voyage,  Jones, 
the  master,  was  given  charge  of  it.  Rough  water 
and  head  winds  beat  them  back  to  the  shore  for 
shelter  that  da\',  but,  not  to  lose  their 
ovem  er  7.  ^j^^^^^  most  of  the  part}'  landed,  and 
marched  some  six  or  seven  miles  farther  on,  while 
the  rest  kept  in  the  shallop.  It  blew  and 
snowed  all  day  and  all  night,  and  froze  also,  so 
that  all  the  party  suffered  much  from  exposure, 
and  some  caught  colds,  of  which  they  afterward 
died. 

The  next  day,  the  wind  being  fair,  the  shallop 
came  and  took  off  the  landsmen,  and  sailed  on  to 
the  river,  for  which  they  were  bound.  We  can 
guess  why  they  called  it  Cold  harbor,  because  all 
day  long    they  were    tramping    up   and    down    in 


26  ON    I'LY.MOl'TII    ROCK 

snow  six  inches  deep,  until  Master  Jones  himself 
was  glad  to  call  a  halt.  So  they  built  a  roaring 
fire,  under  some  pines,  on  which  three  fat  geese 
and  six  juicy  ducks  were  soon  merrily  roasting. 
Not  liking  the  looks  of  this  place,  on  the  next 
day  the  party  took  the  canoe,  found  here  before, 
and  ferried  themselves  across  to  the  place  where 
the  corn  was  dug  up.  If  the  Indians  had  suspected 
the  use  to  which  their  canoe  was  being 
Ta°ken  °'^"  P""^^'  ^^'^  think  it  would  have  been  hid 
away  where  no  white  man  could  have 
found  it.  Not  only  was  the  rest  of  that  corn  dug 
up  again,  but  enough  more  was  found  to  make  up 
ten  bushels,  though  the  diggers  did  not  get  it  so 
easily,  as  the  frozen  ground  now  had  to  be  hacked 
and  hewed  away  with  cutlasses. 

On   the    next   day  the    shallop  took    this  corn, 
with  some  of  the  men  who  had  given  out  or  fallen 
sick,  back  to  the  ship,  while  the  sound   men  reso- 
lutely went  on  with  the  search.     By  and 

November  30.  1  1        1        1      i-i 

by  they  came  to  what  looked  like  a 
grave,  covered  over  with  boards.  Suspecting 
there  might  be  more  corn  hid  away,  some  of 
the    party  went    to    digging    it  up.      The  diggers 


SECOND    SEARCHING    I'AKTV  2J 

first  came  to  a  braided  mat.  After  takin<j  this  out, 
they  next  found  a  neatly  made  bow  and 
Man's  Grave,  then  another  mat,  witli  a  board  under 
it,  on  which  something  hke  a  crown  was 
handsomely  carved.  There  were  also  some  bowls, 
trays,  and  dishes  placed  between  the  two  mats. 

The  diggers  might  have  stopped  here  with  a 
good  conscience,  as  their  own  judgment  must 
have  told  them  it  was  indeed  a  grave  that  they 
were  thus  desecrating;  but  they  seem  fully  bent 
on   unravelling  the  mystery  to  the  end. 

On  going  still  deeper,  two  bundles  were  brought 
to  light,  one  larger  than  the  other,  and,  strange  to 
say,  the  larger  one  was  done  up  in  a  sailor's  can- 
vas frock  and  a  pair  of  cloth  breeches.  In  it 
were  the  skull  and  bones  of  a  man,  mixed  up  with 
a  quantit}'  of  fine  red  powder,  giving  out  a  very 
pungent  smell,  like  some  kind  of  aromatic  bark. 
The  smaller  bundle  held  the  remains  of  a  little 
child,  done  up  with  more  of  the  same  strong- 
smelling  powder.  It  suddenl}^  broke  upon  the 
wondering  lookers-on  that  this  must  be  the  Ind- 
ians' way  of  embalming  their  dead.  Still  the  cruel 
search  went  on. 


28  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

Around  the  dead  child's  shrunken  Hmbs  some 
strings  of  small  white  beads  were  tied,  and  a 
child's  little  bow,  with  a  few  other  knick-knacks,  lay 
beside  the  lonely  little  stranger.  Upon  looking 
again,  a  knife,  a  pack-needle,  and  two  or  three 
old  iron  things  were  found  in  the  larger  bundle. 
Here  was  a  discovery  indeed  !  Here  was  proof 
that  one  white  man,  at  least,  had  lived  here  be- 
fore them,  for  the  explorers  could  scarcely  doubt 
that  what  they  now  saw  were  the  perishing  re- 
mains of  one  of  their  own  race  and  color.  Also, 
articles  of  clothing,  such  as  sailors  wore,  and 
things  of  European  make,  such  as  sailors  used. 
The  man,  too,  had  yellow  or  sandy  hair,  while  all 
Indians  have  black  hair. 

The  explorers  were  puzzled  most  of  all  to  un- 
derstand how  a  white  man  should  have  ended  his 
days  so  far  from  his  native  land.  Yet  they  could 
not  doubt  the  evidence  of  their  own  eyes.  Some 
thought  the  Indians  might  have  slain  him.  As 
they  could  make  nothing  of  it,  after  taking  out 
some  of  the  prettiest  things  the  grave  was  care- 
fully filled   up   again. 

Although  the  white   men   knew  that  ships   had 


SECOND    SKAKCHIXC;    PARTY  29 

been  there  before  them,  they  did  not  tlien  know 
that  ships  had  been  cast  away  among'  the  treach- 
erous sands  of  this  far  sea-cape.  \et  such  was 
the  fact.  And  it  miy;ht  well  be  that  mere  acci- 
dent had  now  revealed  the  sad  fate  of  some  poor 
shipwrecked  sailor,  whose  after  life  had  been  spent 
in  slaver}'  among  the  cruel  savages,  till  death 
came  to  set  him   free. 

Still  more  graves  were  found,  but  no  more  corn. 
But  while  two  sailors  were  strolling  about  they 
came  across  two  Indian  huts,  or  wigwams,  which 
seemed  onl)-  just  deserted.  Having  taken  what 
they  fancied,  the  thievish  sailors  hastened  to  their 
comrades  with  the  news,  and  all  then  went  back 
to  the  huts   in   a   body. 

They  were  made  of  several   long  saplings,  stuck 

in  the  ground  at  both  ends,  in  a  circle,  and  covered 

over,  inside  and  out,  with  thick-braided  rush  mats, 

to  keep  the  weather  out.     At  the  top, 

Indian  Wig-     ,^  ,-ound   holc  was    left    for   a    chimney, 

warn.  •' 

and  at  the  bottom,  another  hole  for  a 
door.  B\'  lifting  up  the  mat,  which  closed  it,  and 
stooping  low,  one  could  enter  this  ingeniously 
built  dwelling,  which,  of  course,  could  be  put  up  or 


30 


ox    I'l.V^rOUTII    ROCK 


taken  down  very  quickly  indeed.  In  fact,  whej- 
ever  saplings  and  rushes  grew,  there  the  Indian 
could   build   his   house. 

Inside  were  more  mats  for  the  people  to  sit  or 
sleep  on,  such  as  the  Chinese  use  to  this  day;  and 


Mode  of  Building  a  Wigwam. 


in  the  middle  shallow  pits  were  dug  for  making 
fires  in,  either  to  cook  their  victuals,  or  for  warmth. 
When  sleepy,  the  Indian  just  stretched  himself  out 
on  his  mat,  with  his  feet  to  the  fire.  His  bed  was 
always   made. 

The   unbidden  suests  did  not  ask  leave  to  enter 


SECOND    SEARCHING    I'ARTV  3  I 

and  make  themselves  at  home,  but  examined  and 
handled  evcrythin<^  they  saw  with  genuine  curi- 
osity, so  strong  was  the  desire  to  know  the  habits 
and  manners  of  this  strange  people.  Besides 
wooden  bowls,  trays,  and  dishes,  there  were  earthen 
pots,  and  hand-baskets  made  of  crabs'  shells, 
besides  several  other  sorts,  very  fancifuU)^  worked 
in  black  and  white,  which  were  much  admired. 
So  we  see  that  the  art  of  basket-making,  in 
which  the  Indians  excel  to-day,  was  very  early 
acquired,  and  is  proof  of  their  having  taste  as 
well  as  skill. 

For  food,  there  were  some  baskets  of  parched 
acorns,  some  pieces  of  fish,  and  some  of  stale  veni- 
son, which  seemed  to  be  plenty  enough,  by  the 
number  of  horns  and  feet  stuck  up  around  the 
walls  of  the  wigwam,  as  trophies  of  the  chase.  It 
was  a  lesson  to  the  explorers,  that  these  people,  at 
least,  could  live  there  on  what  the  sea  and  land 
would  afford.  Give  them  the  necessaries  of  life, 
and  they  would  do  without  the  luxuries. 

The  visitors  helped  themselves  to  what  they 
liked,  and  as  it  was  then  growing  late,  they  has- 
tened on  board  their  shallop,  with  their  plunder,  and 


5^ 


ON    I'LYMOUTII    ROCK 


SO  back  a*^ain  to  the  ship.  And  this  was  the  end 
of  their  second  discovery.  They  had  taken  what 
they  hkcd  from  the  Indians,  but  had  not  yet  paid 
their  reckoning.  Between  ourselves,  we  do  not 
think  that  the  white  men  had  gone  the  right  way 
to  work  to  make  friends  of  these  Indians. 


TlIIKl)    AND    LAST    SEARCH  33 


IV 


THIRD    AND    LAST    SEARCH 

Almost  a  whole  month  had  now  been  as  good 
as  wasted,  and  yet  nothing  settled.  What  had 
been  seen  was  disappointing.  Yet  the  colonists 
knew  that  they  must  decide  upon  something, 
and  quickly  too,  if  they  would  not  see  their 
hopes  utterly  defeated.  But  what  a  set-back  it 
would  be,  should  they  settle  down  in  some  place 
they  did  not  half  like,  and  then  have  to  remove  to 
some  other  !  So  after  talking  the  matter  over,  it 
was  concluded  to  try  once  more. 

Some  of  them,  who  had  heard  of  a  place  called 
Agawam,^  some  twenty  leagues  off,  wanted  to  go 
there.  But  Robert  Coppin,  a  pilot,  gave  them 
such  a  glowing  account  of  another  harbor,  much 
nearer,  where  he  had  once  been  himself,  that  it 
was  concluded  to  pay  it  a  visit.  Indeed,  on 
any  clear  day,  the  high  headlands  of  this  harbor 
might  easily  be  seen  from  the  ship.     To   people 


34  ON    PLYMOUTH    RUCK 

devoured  by  impatience,  this  seemed  something 
real,  something  tangible;  so  in  the  end  a  third 
party  was  made  up  to  continue  the  search  as  far 
as  this  harbor,   but  no  farther. 

On  the  day  before  they  were  to  set  out,  a  ter- 
rible calamity  was  narrowly  averted.  It  chanced 
that  while  his  father  was  out  of  the  way,  a  mis- 
chievous boy  got  his  hands  on  a  loaded  gun,  and 
as  if  prompted  by  the  Evil  One  himself,  shot  it 
off  right  in  the  cabin,  where  a  barrel  of 
vous  Boy^  gunpowder  was  kept.  It  was  the  luck- 
iest thing  in  the  world  that  the  ship's 
deck  was  not  blown  up,  many  killed,  and  the  voy- 
age ended,  then  and  there ;  for  sparks  were  scat- 
tered right  and  left.  As  it  was,  no  great  harm  was 
done  before  the  fire  was  put  out ;  but  such  a  nar- 
row escape  caused  a  great  fright,  as  well  it  might. 
That  Billington  boy  was  not  the  first,  or  last,  of 
his  kind,  who  has  put  other  people's  lives  in  peril 
by  fooling  with  gunpowder. 

Another  accident,  though  of  a  different  kind, 
had  a  no  less  fortunate  ending.  Every  day,  in 
fair  weather,  great  whales  came  and  sported 
around    the    ship   without    fear.      One  day,  when 


THIRD   AND    LAST   SEARCH  35 

the   sun   shone  out   bright  and  warm,   a  great   lazy 
fellow    lay   sunning    himself   above  the 

Cruel  Sport. 

water,  as  if  sound  asleep,  within  half  a 
musket-shot  of  the  ship.  Two  bad  men  of  the 
company  thought  it  would  be  rare  sport  to  shoot 
bullets  into  him,  just  to  see  if  he  would  feel  it,  and 
what  he  would  do.  The  first  musket  fired  burst  in 
twenty  pieces,  yet  the  one  who  fired  it  was  not 
hurt  at  all.  When  the  whale  had  his  nap  out,  he 
gave  a  snuff  and  sheered  ofi". 

On  Wednesday,  December  6,  the  new  part}'  put 
off  in  the  shallop.  It  was  a  bitterly  cold  da}';  the 
sea  was  very  rough,  and  very  soon  the  men's 
clothes,  wet  b}'  the  flying  spray,  were  frozen  as 
stiff  as  coats  of  iron.  After  buffeting  the  waves 
for  some  hours,  but  making  slow  headway,  the 
shallop  was  steered   for  the  shore.     As 

Decembers.  ,  .  .,  t       i- 

she  was  nearmg  it,  some  Indians  were 
seen  running  to  and  fro,  about  some  great  black 
thing  stretched  out  on  the  sands,  though  what  it 
was,  or  what  the  Indians  were  doing  there,  could 
not  be  made  out.  Camp  was  pitched,  sentinels 
posted,  and  a  strict  watch  kept  throughout  the 
night,  for  fear  of  a  visit  from  these  queer-acting 
people,  but  no  more  was  heard   of  them. 


36 


ON    PLVMOUni    ROCK 


In  the  morning  the  party  divided,  part  sail- 
ing along  the  shore  in  the  shallop,  part  marching 
along  the  sands.      In  this  way  the  shallop  carried 


Black-fish  on  the  Beach. 


the  food   for   the   whole    party,  and    when    hailed 
from   the  shore   could  join   company  again. 

When  the  footmen  came  to  the  place  where  the 
Indians  had  been  seen,  the  black  object  proved  to 
be  a  dead  grampus,  or  black-fish,  from  which  they 


THIRD    AND    LAST   SEARCH  37 

were  stripping  off  the  outside  fat,  or  blubber,  when 
frightened  awa}'  by  the  sight  of  the  shallop. 

They  were  tracked  on  the  sands  to  where  they 
had  struck  off  into  the  woods.  Still  pursuing 
them,  the  explorers  fell  into  a  plain  path,  which 
led  them  first  to  an  old  cornfield,  and  then  to  a 
very  great  burial-ground,  thick  with  graves  and 
fenced  about  with  saplings,  higher  than  a  man's 
head.      If  this   did    not   show    that   the 

Indian  Grave-  t      ,■  ,■     ■  u        ..     ^i  -x.     • 

yard.  ludiaus    wcrc  livuig    about    there,   it  is 

hard  to  see  what  would.  Yet  the  care- 
less white  men  seem  to  have  thought  little  of  it. 

Presently  some  four  or  five  wigwams  were 
discovered,  all  deserted.  After  digging  in  several 
places  for  corn,  and  finding  nothing  but  parched 
acorns,  the  white  men  turned  back  to  the  shore 
again,  and  as  the  sun  was  getting  low,  the  shallop 
was  hailed  to  come  in  to  them.  So  here  a  rude 
brushwood  shelter  was  thrown  together,  in  which 
to  pass  the  night;  but  the  shallop  had  to  haul  out 
into  deep  water  again,  where  she  could  ride  at 
anchor,  though  within  hailing  distance  of  the 
camp. 

At  dead   of  night,  when   all   around  was  as  still 


38  ON   PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

as  the  grave,  the  sleepers  were  suddenly  waked 
by  loud  and  hideous  cries,  like  to  nothing  ever 
heard  before  from  the  throat  of  man  or  beast. 
Instantly  the  voice  of  their  sentinel  was  heard 
calling    out    "  Arm  !     Arm !  "     The    white     men 

sprang  to  their  arms,  and  fired  one  or 
Alarm.  ^^'°    random     shots     toward     the     spot 

where  the  noises  had  come  from,  when 
they  suddenly  ceased.  As  all  seemed  quiet,  it 
was  thought  to  have  been  a  false  alarm,  caused 
by  some  wolves  prowling  about  the  camp ;  so 
the  tired   people  lay  down  to  sleep  again. 

They  were  stirring  again,  in  the  early  dusk  of 
the  morning,  some  trying  their  muskets,  to  make 
sure  they  would  not  miss  fire,  others  carrying 
their  things  down  to  the  beach,  ready  to  be  put 
on  board  the  shallop  as  soon  as  the  tide  would 
let  her  come  in  to  them.  They  then  had 
prayers,  for  wherever  they  might  be,  night  or 
day,  this  was  one  thing  that  these  people  never 
neglected. 

After  prayers  they  began  to  think  of  their 
breakfasts,  for  long  tramps  make  sharp  appetites. 
While  busied  about  this  frugal  meal,  again  those 


THIRD    AM)    LAST    SEARCH  39 

unearthly  yells  burst  upon  their  cars,  out  of  the 
forest ;  and  again  the  sentinel  came  running  at  the 
top  of  his  speed,  crying  out  to  them  as  he  ran, 
"  They  are  men  !  Indians  !  Indians  !  "  And  before 
a  weapon  could  be  drawn,  the  deadly  arrows  came 
humming  thick  and  fast. 

Never  were  men  more  completely  taken  off 
their  guard.  The  moment  for  attack  had  been 
seized  with  surprising  quickness,  when  the  white 
men  had  laid  aside  their  arms  and  the  shallop  was 
at  a  distance.  Standish,  however,  with 
Attacked"^*^  two  or  three  more,  who  had  their  mus- 
kets ready,  boldly  stood  their  ground, 
while  their  comrades  were  running  to  their  arms 
and  the  shallop  was  hastening  to  the  rescue. 
Meantime,  the  Indians  kept  up  their  noisy  shout- 
ing and  shooting  from  behind  trees,  where  the 
white  men  could  not  get  a  fair  shot  back  at 
them ;  and  besides,  the  woods  were  still  dark, 
while  the  white  men  stood  out  in  the  open 
light.  So  Standish  bade  them  not  to  waste  their 
powder. 

Presently,  two  or  three  guns  went  off  from  the 
shallop,  showing  that  she  was   now  taking  part  in 


40  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

the  fray.  Then  those  on  shore  called  out  to 
ask  how  it  was  with  them,  and  quickly  the  cheer- 
ing cry  came  back,  "  Well,  well,  every  one  !  " 
Then  they,  in  their  turn,  called  out  for  fire  to 
light  their  matches  with,"  as  there  was  none  on 
board  the  shallop.  Upon  this,  one  bold  fellow 
snatched  up  a  burning  brand  out  of  the  camp- 
fire,  and  waded  off  with  it  to  the  shallop,  quite 
heedless   of  the   many  arrows   shot  at  him. 

Failing  in  their  sudden  onset,  and  afraid  to 
stand  the  hot  musketry  fire,  the  Indians  gave  up 
the  fight.  After  following  them  for  a  quarter  of 
a  mile,  the  white  men  sent  a  parting  volley  after 
them  to  hasten  their  flight,  and  they  were  seen 
no   more. 

None  of  the  white  men  had  been  hurt.  After 
giving  thanks  for  their  deliverance  from  this  dan- 
ger, all  went  on  board  the  shallop,  which  soon 
left  the   inhospitable  shore  behind. 

For  a  time  all  went  well;  but  as  the  day 
wore  on  the  wind  rose,  the  air  grew  thick  with 
snow  and  sleet  driven  before  it,  and  the  sea  so 
rough  that  the  rudder  was  unshipped.  Dark- 
ness, too,  was  shutting  in  fast.      In  this  sad  plight 


THIRD   AND    LAST   SEARCH  41 

they  were  crowding    all  sail    to   gain    the  wished- 

for  harbor,  when  with  a  quick  snap- 
shipw!-eck       P'^g  noise,   down  came   mast  and    sail, 

with  a  crash,  upon  their  heads.  If  they 
had  not  rowed  for  their  lives,  all  must  have  per- 
ished. As  it  was,  when  they  did  get  into  smooth 
water  the  pilot  confessed  that  he  did  not  know 
the  place  at  all. 

Yet,  as  any  harbor  was  better  than  shipwreck, 
with  thankful  hearts  the  party  passed  the  night 
where  fortune  had  cast  them,  until  daylight 
showed  them  where   they  were. 

It  proved  to  be  an  island  lying  well  out  from 
the  mainland.  They  explored  it.  The  next  da}* 
being  the  Sabbath,  nothing  was  done  ;  but  on  the 
next  they  crossed  the  harbor  to  the  main  shore, 
sounding  it  as  they  went.      Here  they  saw  plenty 

of  cleared  land  and  running  brooks, 
Found.  ^^'ith  which  they  were  so  well  pleased 

that  all  were  agreed  no  better  place 
would  be  found.  And  now  that  the  question, 
which  so  long  had  plagued  them,  was  set  at  rest, 
no  time  was  lost  in  carrying  the  glad  tidings  back 
to  the  ship  that  a  home  had  been  found  at  last. 


42 


ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 


Two  things  had  happened  while  the  "  Mayflower  " 
lay  at  Cape  Cod,  one  bringing  joy,  the  other 
sorrow.      A  son   had   been   born    to    William  and 


WTa 


Peregrine  White's  Apple-tree. 


Susannah  White,  quaintly  christened  Peregrine; 
and  Dorothy,  the  beloved  wife  of  William  Brad- 
ford, had  been  drowned  while  her  husband  was 
absent  looking  for  a  home  for  her.    For  him,  alas  ! 


THIRD    AND    LAST   SEARCH  43 

the  joyful  returniriL,^  was  changed  to  mourning  ;  and 
to  all  it  brought  home  the  sober  lesson  that  time 
and  eternity  had  begun  for  this  little  colony  almost 
at  the  selfsame  hour. 

•  Now  Ipswich,  Mass. 

2  The  rude  firearms  of  that  day  had  to  be  discharged  by  means  of  a 
lighted  slow-match,  which  each  man  carried  about  hiin  for  the  purpose. 


44  ON    I'LVMOUTII    ROCK 


V 

BUILDING   THE   TOWN 

On    Friday,    December    15,    the    "Mayflower" 

lifted  her   anchor   to  go  to  the  new  harbor  across 

the  bay;    but  the  day  proved  as  unlucky  for  the 

voyage    as   it  was  generally  supposed   to  be  ;  and 

she  was  forced  to  put  back  again.      But 

December  i6.  .      ,      . 

on  Saturday  she  tried  it  once  more, 
with  better  success,  and  now  dropped  her  anchor 
in  the  desired  haven. 

Many  wistful  looks,  no  doubt,  were  cast  around 
the  silent  shores,  as  if  to  read  the  future  in  those 
whitened  hills  and  darksome  woods  that  stretched 
around  them  ;  but  no  answering  word  came  back, 
no  sign  of  life  was  there.  It  was  to  be  a  battle 
between  the  forces  of  nature  and  the  forces  of 
man. 

On  Monday  a  party  landed  to  explore  the  place. 
They  were  to  decide  where  to  build  their  town. 
No  signs  of  any  inhabitants  were  seen  except  some 


r.LlLDI.XCi   THE   TOWN 


45 


old   planting  grounds    here  and  there,  with  which 
the  explorers  were  now  familiar.     They 

December  i8. 

tried  the  soil,  looked  at  the  trees,  drank 
from  the  brooks,  took  note  how  the  land  lay,  and 
at  dusk  went  off  to  the  ship,  still  undecided. 


Plymouth  Bay  and  Town. 


On    Tuesda}-    the    search     was     continued    still 

farther    into  the  land.       We  can   fancy 

e  em  er  19.    ^j^^^^^    peering    cautiously   through    the 

thickets,    pointing    this    way    and    that    way,    like 


46  ox    PLVMOUTII    ROCK 

men  uncertain  of  their  route,  or  stoopin^j  over 
some  withered  plant  which  lay  in  their  path  and 
reminded  them  of  home. 

After  comparing  notes,  the  majority  favored 
building  at  the  foot  of  a  small  hill,  where  the 
ground   was    ready    cleared    to    their    hands,   and 

where  a  fine,  clear  brook  ran  under  the 
Chosen  hillsidc.      Somc   demurred  because  the 

woods  were  a  long  way  off;  but  really 
this  was  not  half  so  bad  as  having  to  hew  away  the 
forest  to  get  room  to  plant  and  build  upon,  and 
far  better  than  to  have  the  Indians  always  lurking 
at  their  doors.  Besides,  if  the  Indians  must  be 
treated  as  enemies,  it  would  be  good  policy  to 
keep  them  at  a  distance. 

This  decision  was  reached  on  the  20th,  and  an 
armed  guard  left  to  hold  the  ground  until  the  fol- 
lowing day,  when  it  was  agreed  that  all  should 
come  on  shore  and  begin  the  work  of   building  in 

earnest.      It  rained  hard  all  that  night, 

and  blew  a  gale  the  next  day;  so  that 
there  could  be  no  passing  between  ship  and  shore, 
without  danger,  for  two  days  more  ;  but  on  the 
23d,  the  weather  having  cleared,  all  who  were  able 


BUILDING   THE   TOWN 


47 


to  work  came  off  to  the  place  agreed  upon,  and 
from  that  day  forward  some  part  of  the  company 
was  alwavs  on  the  crround. 


Forefathers'  Rock,  1875. 


So  we  see  that  the  choice  of  any  one  day  to 
specially  designate  the  landing  of  the  Pilgrims 
is  a  wholly  arbitrary  thing,  some  people  cele- 
brating one  day  and  some  another.  The  only 
day    on  whicii    formal    possession  of  the    ground 


48  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

was  taken  (20th  December)  is  not  celebrated 
at  all. 

This  first  landing  has  always  been  a  matter  of 
the  greatest  interest,  because  it  is  inseparable 
from  the  great  events  of  which  it  was  the  humble 
beginning.  Not  all  the  armies  of  the  world,  mar- 
shalled for  battle,  would  begin  to  possess  the 
meaning  that  clings  to  this  weak  handful  of  peace- 
able colonists,  drawn  up  on  that  lonely  beach, 
with  their  mattocks  and  spades.  Though  they 
did  not  know  it,  they  were   making  an  epoch. 

There  is  an  old  tradition,  much  prized  by  all 
the  women  of  the  land,  that  it  was  a  young  girl 
who  first  sprang  from  the  boat  to  the  shore  ;  and 
a  certain  rock  or  bowlder,  half  buried  in  the  sand, 
has  always  been  pointed  out  as  the 
Rock^  ^"^^  spot  that  her  daring  foot  first  pressed. 
We  know  this  cannot  be  true  of  the 
first  party,  because  they  were  all  men  ;  yet  it  is 
not  improbable  that  women  may  have  been  per- 
mitted to  accompany  the  first  working  party,  if 
they  so  desired,  and  there  is  no  proof  to  the  con- 
trary. At  any  rate,  the  tradition  goes  back  more 
than  a  hundred  and  thirty  years,  and  comes  direct 


BUILDING   THE   TOWN  49 

to  US  from  the  lips  of  those  who  knew  more  about 
it  than  we  do.  Some  well-informed  people  think 
the  tradition  a  made-up  stor>\  Simple-minded 
creatures  !  They  do  not  understand  that  it  is  as 
firml\-  imbedded  in  history,  as  is  the  venerated 
rock  in  the  shore  itself. 

Now  the  westward  march  of  the  nations  begins 
as  one  by  one  the  people  jump  on  shore.  Some 
are  of  middle  age,  steady  and  deliberate ;  some 
young,  eager  and  impatient  to  be  up  and  doing. 
Do  not  imagine  that  they  are  dressed,  as  the  artists 
dress  them,  in  brand-new  hats  and  freshly  starched 
collars  and  cuffs.  They  stand  there  in  their 
every-day  working  clothes,  threadbare  enough, 
no  doubt,  with  the  wear  and  tear  of  a  long  sea 
vo\'age,  or  those  hard  marches  among  the  Cape 
Cod  thickets.  Mattocks  and  spades,  beetles  and 
wedges,   axes   and    hoes,    ropes   and  tackling,   are 

tossed  out  on  the  beach,  and  each  man 
to°w^rk.         taking  something,  the  whole   move    off 

to  their  allotted  work.  Some  go  to 
clear  away  the  ground  for  their  storehouse,  for 
that  must  be  the  first  thing  built;  some  to  fell 
and   hew   timber   for  it,  in   the  woods ;    and  soon 


50  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

the  sharp  ring  of  bus}'-  axes  is  echoing  far  and 
wide   in   the  land. 

At  the  close  of  the  day  most  of  the  people  went 
off  to  the  ship,  which  must  still  be  their  dwelling- 
place  for  some  time  to  come.  Monday  was  Christ- 
mas day ;  yet  they  went  to  work  the  same  as  on 
any  other  day.  The  Sabbath,  alone,  was  kept 
holy.  There  were  no  Christmas  carols,  no  gifts,  no 
rejoicings,  yet  it  was  a  most  notable  day  in  their 
calendar,  for  on  it  they  raised  the  frame  of  their 
first  house.  It  was  a  storehouse,  twenty 
Day!  "^^^  ^^^^  square,  and  as  its  frame  was  lifted 
to  view,  those  on  the  ship  could  see  that 
their  town  was  no  longer  a  dream,  but  a  reality. 
That  night  Master  Jones  gave  them  beer  to  drink, 
in  honor  of  the  day. 

Yet,  with  one  day  fair  and  the  next  foul,  the 
work  of  building  went  on  but  slowly.  The  ship, 
too,  was  so  deep  in  the  water  that  she  could  not 
come  within  a  mile  and  a  half  of  the  shore,  and 
even  the  boats  had  to  wait  for  the  tide  before  they 
could  land  their  people  at  the  beach.  Much  time, 
therefore,  was  lost  in  going  back  and  forth  in 
these  short  days.     These  things  had  not  been  fore- 


HL'ILDING   THE   TOWN  5  I 

seen,  but  could  not  be  helped  now,  or  so  long  as 
this  passing  to  and  fro  should  be  necessary.  But 
we  shudder  to  think  what  would  have  become  of 
them  if  the  master  had  put  them  on  shore  at  Cape 
Cod,  when  his  crew  threatened  to  do  so.  They 
must  have  perished,  every  one. 

One  little  fright  from  the  Indians  caused  the 
people  to  look  to  their  means  of  defence  without 
more  delay.  This  had  been  in  their  minds  ever 
since  choosing  their  town  site,  where  a  hill  over- 
looked all  the  approaches,  far  and  near.  They 
now  planned  to  fortify  this  hill-top  with  cannon, 
brought  in  the  ship,  and  as  soon  as  possible 
enclose  this  hill  with  their  town  plot,  all 

Laying  Out  a     .  ,  c  1  •        1  c- 

Town  i'"'  °"^  strong  ience  or  palisade,     bo,  on 

Thursday,  the  28th,  some  went  to  work 
levelling  off  a  place  on  the  hill,  while  others  began 
staking  out  the  ground  below  in  house-lots.  This 
proves  that  they  dared  not  trust  themselves  in  an 
open  village,  for  fear  of  the  Indians  breaking  in 
upon  them. 

Two  more  stormy  days  came  to  discourage 
them;  and  from  the  ship  Indian  smokes  could 
be  seen  curling  up  in  the  distance,  to  still  further 


52  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

trouble  the  timid  ones.  Some  of  the  men,  sent 
out  to  cut  thatch,  saw  fires  too,  yet  no  Indians 
came  near  them.  If  friends,  why  did  they  hold 
themselves  thus  aloof  ?  If  foes,  they  must  be 
looked  to ;  for  what  could  the  people  do,  should 
the  Indians  fall  upon  them  when  scattered  about 
at  work  ? 

To  live  in  such  fear  was  not  to  be  borne.  Work 
could  not  go  on  prosperously  as  long  as  one  eye 
had  to  be  kept  on  the  forest  and  the  other  on  the 
work.  So  Captain  Standish  went  out,  with  five  men, 
to  see  if  he  could  find  any  of  these  Indians,  yet 
could  meet  with  none,  but  in  coming  home  an  eagle 
was  shot,  on  which  they  dined  with  much  relish. 

And  now,  first  one  and  then  another  of  their 
weakly  people  began  to  fall  sick  and  die. 

Even  fear  of  the  Indians  could  not  prevent  some 
drones,  who  would  rather  do  anything  than  work, 
from  strolling  off  into  the  woods  to  hunt  or  pass 
away  the  time.  While  out  with  one  of  the  seamen, 
Francis  Billington  discovered  a  large  pond,  or  lake, 
which  he  magnified  into  a  sea,  and  it  was  called 
after  him  Billington  sea,  and  was,  so  far  as  known, 
the  first  place  here  to  get  an  English  name.     These 


BUILDING   THE   TOWN 


53 


two  adventurers  also  came  across  several  deserted 
wigwams.  What  could  all  these  signs  of  former 
inhabitants  mean  ?      It  was  a  real   mystery. 


Leycien  Street. 
(The  first  to  be  built  upon.) 

The  ninth  da\-  of  January  deserves  to  be  marked 
with  a  white  stone,  for  on  this  day  the  people  began 
to  build  two  rows  of  houses  where  the  eround  had 


54  ON   PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

been  staked  out.     Enough  land  for  a  garden  was 
set  off  to  each  house-lot,  those  men  hav- 

Building  ...  _         ...  .  , 

Houses.  '"g  the  largest  families  getting  a  larger 

garden-plot ;  and  in  order  to  build  fewer 
houses,  all  the  company  was  divided  up  into  nine- 
teen families,  single  men  being  assigned  to  some 
family.  Each  head  of  a  family  was  to  build  his 
own  house.  By  following  this  plan  it  was  thought 
that  everyone  would  do  his  very  best. 

The  storehouse  being  now  completed,  all  except 
thatching  and  daubing,  men  were  sent  out  to  cut 
flags  for  thatch,  while  others  were  plastering  the 
crevices  between  the  logs  with  clay  mortar.  In 
four  days  more,  this  first  building  was  ready  to 
receive  them  and  their  goods.  The  chimney,  we 
take  it,  was  what  was  called  a  rung-chimney,  made 
of  sticks  laid  up  cross-wise,  one  upon  another,  and 
well  plastered  with  clay  inside  and  out.  Bricks 
are  nowhere  mentioned. 

Odd  adventures  befell  those  who  wandered  far 
from  the  seashore.  One  day  two  thatch-cutters, 
John  Goodman  and  Peter  Brown,  took  two  dogs  with 
them  into  the  woods.  One  of  these  was  a  big  mastiff, 
the  other  a  spaniel.     At  dinner-time  the  men  took 


BUILDING   THE   TOWN  55 

their  meat  in  their  hands,  to  walk  about  a  Httle 
while.   Presently,  the  dogs  started  a  deer, 

Lost  in  the  ,  ,  .       _    , ,  •    ,      .  i 

Woods.  ^"^  gave  chase,  in  lull  cr)',  with  the  men 

following  after.  Excited  by  the  chase, 
they  followed  so  far  that  they  could  not  find  their 
way  home  ;  so  they  had  to  pass  that  night  and  all 
the  next  day  in  the  woods  before  they  could  get 
the  bearings  of  the  settlement.  That  night  they 
got  back  to  it  half  frozen  and  nearly  famishing  for 
want  of  food,  but  to  the  great  relief  of  their  friends, 
who  had  given  them  up  for  lost.  Goodman's  shoes 
had  to  be  cut  from  his  feet,  they  were  so  swollen 
with  the  cold  ;  and  it  was  a  long  time  before  he 
was  able  to  walk  about  again,  let  alone  chasing  deer. 
The  two  dogs  spoken  of  were  the  only  domestic 
animals  that  came  over  in  the  "  Mayflower." 

It  had  been  agreed  that  the  first  Sunday  after 
the  storehouse  was  finished  should  be  kept  on 
shore,  because  most  of  the  people  were  now  staying 
there.  This  fell  on  the  fourteenth  day  of  the 
month.  But  those  on  the  ship  who  were  up  early 
in  the  morning  saw,  with  dismay,  their  great  new 
storehouse  all  on  fire.  It  put  them  in  great  fear, 
because  it  was  supposed  that  the  Indians  had  set 


56  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

it,  until  found  to  have  caught  by  accident.     Luckily, 
the  thatch  burned  off  the  roof  without 

Storehouse         .     .       .  ,         ^  i         i       .  •    i 

lakes  Fire,      injurmg  thc  irame-work  ;  but  some  sick 
people,  who  were   in  the  house   at  that 
time,  narrowly  escaped  being  blown   up  by  gun- 
powder.     It  was  a  great  fright,  well  over  with. 

After  this  a  few  fair  sunshiny  days  put  new 
spirits  into  such  of  the  company  as  were  still  in 
good  health,  though,  alas  !  the  number  of  hands 
was  every  day  growing  fewer  and  fewer.  The  next 
thing  completed  was  a  shed  to  store  the  company's 
goods  in  ;  but,  from  one  and  another  cause,  it  was 
near  the  end  of  the  month  before  the  ship  could 
begin  unlading  her  cargo.  And  now  we  first  hear 
of  a  little  house  being  used  as  a  hospital  for  the 
sick,  of  whom  it  is  sad  to  read  that  there  were  far 
too  many.  No  doubt  their  good  doctor,  Samuel 
Fuller,  had  his  hands  full  from  this  time  forth, 
tending  his  suffering  patients,  and  we  grieve  to 
think  of  so  many  dying  off  before  the  houses  built 
for  them  were  made  ready;  or  of  the  little  funeral 
procession  following  the  body  of  Captain  Standish's 
wife.  Rose,  to  its  lonely  grave,  hard  by  the  rippling 
waters  of  a  foreign  strand. 


THE   GREAT    SICKNESS  $7 


VI 

THE   GREAT   SICKNESS 

February,  the  worst  month  of  winter  in  New 

England,  came  in   cold,   wet,    and    rainy.     Those 

who  lay  sick  and   helpless  suffered  much  for  want 

of  nourishing  food  ;    for  though  there  were  wild 

fowl    on     the    water    and    deer    in    the 

February.  ,   ,     ,  , 

woods,  none  could  be  spared  to  go  out 
hunting.  It  was,  therefore,  a  godsend  when  the 
master  shot  five  geese,  which  he  gave  to  the  sick 
people.  But  when  he  also  told  them  of  scaring 
away  a  wolf  from  the  carcass  of  a  dead  deer, 
that  old  bugaboo,  of  prowling  Indians,  rose  up  to 
plague  them  again. 

One  fine  da\',  when  a  settler  had  gone  a  mile  or 
so    out   of  the  village    to   shoot    wild    fowl,    who 
should    come    tramping    by    him    but 
Indians  twclvc  stout  Indians.     They  were  head- 

ing straight  for  the  unprotected  village. 
In  great  fear,  he  lay  stock-still   until  they  passed 


58  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

him,  undiscovered,  and  then  ran  home  in  a  fright, 
to  give  the  alarm.  Those  men  who  were  away  at 
work  in  the  woods  were  quickly  called  in ;  and 
all  made  ready  to  defend  themselves.  But  the 
savages  did  not  molest  them  at  this  time,  except 
by  stealing  the  tools  that  Myles  Standish  and 
Francis  Cook  had   left  behind,   in  their  haste. 

So,  on  the  next  day,  February  17th,  all  the 
company  met  together  to  adopt  military  rules 
and  plans  for  action ;  and  Standish  was  chosen 
captain  over  them,  by  general  consent. 

While  they  were  busy  about  these  things,  two 
more  Indians  showed  themselves,  in  plain  sight, 
on  top  of  a  hill  a  quarter  of  a  mile  off.  They 
beckoned  to  the  white  men  to  come  to  them,  and 
the  white  men  answered  by  beckoning  in  their 
turn.  As  the  Indians  stood  still,  two  white  men 
went  out  toward  them,  without  arms,  in  sign 
of  friendship  ;  but  before  they  had  gone  far  the 
two  Indians  took  to  their  heels,  and  from  the 
strange  noises  heard  as  they  went  the  white  men 
judged  there  must  be  many  more  near  at  hand, 
ready  to  have  fallen  upon  them. 

Plainly,  the  Indians  were  growing  bolder.     To 


THE    GREAT    SICKNESS 


59 


be  ready  for  them   when  they  should  come,  the 
people  now   began    the    hard   work   of    mounting 


^^^;^^.-' n^dAJ^S^"^* 

*^ 

1.  \  ,K!-|^ 

r   -. 

^BBrnm/M^^JlNj  ,IPB 

P' 

''^-^^^l 

The  Town  Square,  in  1874. 

(Governor  Bradford's  house  stood  where  the  one  is  shown 

at  the  right.) 

their  cannon  on  the  hill.      Master  Jones  brought 
his  sailors   on  shore,  to  help  haul  these 

Cannon 

Mounted.        hcavy  guus  up  to  the  spot  where  they 


6o  (3N    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

were  to  be  placed  in  position ;  and  when  this 
had  been  done,  sailors  and  settlers  shared  their 
victuals  together  in  right  friendly  sort,  for  before 
this  we  think  there  had  been  no  love  lost  between 
them. 

Though  the  shortest  month  of  the  year,  this  was 
the  darkest  in  the  annals  of  the  settlement.  No 
less  than  seventeen  persons  had  died  of  the  scurvy 
since  the  month  came  in.  Fourteen  had  died 
before,  making  thirty-one  deaths  in  all 
Busy.  '^  during  the  three   months  of  December, 

January,  and  February;  and  the  end 
was  not  yet.  On  some  days  two  or  three  had 
died.  With  death  stalking,  unchecked,  in  their 
midst,  and  death  lurking  in  ambush  abroad,  these 
afflicted  people  showed  a  fortitude  and  strength  of 
purpose  nothing  short  of  heroism.  Trust  in  the 
God  above  sustained  them  ;  and  in  their  deepest 
misery  they  meekly  bowed  to  the  will  of  Him  who 
giveth  and  who  taketh  away. 

And  how  touching  is  the  story  of  brotherly 
love  told  by  one  of  the  survivors  !  In  the  time  of 
greatest  distress,  when  there  were  not  more  than 
seven  well  persons  left    in    all   the  company,  with 


THE    GREAT   SICKNESS  6 1 

hazard  of  their  own  lives  —  for  the  disease  was  con- 
tagious—  these  thrice  fortunate  ones  fetched  wood 
to  the  sick,  made  their  fires  for  them,  cooked  their 
meat,  made  their  beds,  dressed  and  undressed 
them,  and  even  washed  their  loathsome  clothes, 
like  the  Good  Samaritans  that  they  were.  And  all 
was  willingly  and  ungrudgingly  done.  Was  not 
this  true  Christian  heroism? 

One  of  the  noble  seven  was  Standish,  whose  iron 
constitution  seemed  to  defy  ever}-  hardship,  though 
he  had  borne  his  full  share  of  it  with  the  rest. 
Another  was  Elder  Brewster,  to  whom  the  sick  and 
the  dying  did  not  look  in  vain  for  pious 
com'es  consolation  in  this  hour  of  trial.      Surely 

their  names  should  be  written  in  letters 
of  gold   upon  the  tablets  of  history. 

March  came  in  "  like  a  lamb,"  as  the  homely 
proverb  has  it,  and  very  pleasant  to  the  people 
were  the  sweet  songs  of  birds  now  heard  in  the 
woods  around  them.  These  signs  of  coming 
spring  led  them  to  sow  some  garden  seeds,  much 
too  early ;  for  the  weather  soon  again  grew  as  raw 
and  blustering  as  ever. 

About  the  middle  of  the  month,  it  being  a  fair, 


62  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

warm  day,  the  people  came  together  again  to 
finish  the  business  which  had  been  so  suddenly 
broken  ofif  by  the  appearance  of  the  two  savages 
some  time  before.  Again  they  were  strangely 
interrupted.  To  the  amazement  of 
Corner^  every    one,    an     Indian,    naked     to    his 

waist,  and  straight  as  an  arrow,  sud- 
dently  stalked  in  among  them.  Without  showing 
any  signs  of  fear,  he  kept  straight  on,  through  the 
one  little  street,  until  he  came  to  the  storehouse, 
where  the  people  were  consulting  together.  Here 
they  stopped  him.  They  were  still  more  aston- 
ished when  he  said  in  very  good  English,  "Wel- 
come,  Englishmen  ! 

As  this  was  the  first  savage  they  had  been  able 
to  get  speech  with,  great  was  their  curiosity  to 
find  him  so  free  and  fearless ;  and  greater  still 
that  he  could  talk  with  them.  He  told  them  his 
home  was  many  a  long  league  from  there,  where 
the  ships  from  Old  England  came  every  year  to 
fish  for  cod  ;  and  how  he  had  learned  to  speak 
their  tongue,  from  friendly  association  with  the 
people.  Tall  and  straight  he  was,  and  beardless, 
with   hair  black  as  a  coal,  cut    short  before,  but 


TIIK    GREAT    SICKNESS  63 

left  long  behind.      He  carried   no  weapons,  except 
a  bow  and  arrows. 

The  white  men  made  this  strange  visitor  wel- 
come. He  asked  for  beer,  but,  as  they  had  none 
to  give  him,  he  drank  ofif  a  draught  of  strong 
waters  instead.  They  saw  he  had  learned  to  do 
as  the  Englishmen  did,  even  to  drinking  a  dram 
now  and  then.  Then,  to  show  their  hospitality, 
they  set  some  biscuits  and  butter,  cheese  and 
pudding,  before  him,  of  which  he  ate  with  a  good 
appetite,   and   quite  at  his  ease. 

And  now,  in  requital  of  their  good  cheer,  this 
Indian  cleared  up  many  a  mystery  over  which 
the  whites  had  long  pondered.  He  told  them 
that  the  place  where  they  were  now  living  was 
called  Patuxet.^  Some  four  years  back  all  the 
native  inhabitants  had  died  of  a  strange  and  fear- 
ful plague.  Then  the  meaning  of  so  many 
deserted  fields  and  wigwams  was  seen,  and  the 
white  men  were  right  glad  to  know  that  they  had 
done  the  Indians  no  wrong  in  taking  up  their 
abode  here. 

Long  they  plied  this  Indian  with  questions. 
And  still  they  would   not  trust  him,   so  deep  had 


64  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

that  first  fight  sunk  into  their  minds.  For  all  his 
fair  words,  he  might  be  a  spy.  When  night  came, 
they  hoped  he  would  go  away ;  but  as  he  showed 
no  signs  of  doing  so,  they  put  him  in  Stephen 
Hopkins'  house  and   set  a  watch  over  him. 

The  next  day  Samoset,^  for  that  was  the 
Indian's  name,  departed  to  the  people  from 
whence  he  came.  They  were,  he  said,  sixty 
strong.  He  knew  of  the  fight  that  the  explorers 
had  fought  with  the  Nausets,  who,  he  said,  num- 
bered a  hundred  strong;  and  he  also  told  his 
listeners  what  men  had  stolen  their  tools,  and 
why  Englishmen  were  so   hated   and   feared. 

It  was  not  a  pleasant  story  to  hear,  and  when 
told,  no  one  could  blame  the  Indians  for  feeling  so 
revengeful.  It  seems  that  one  Thomas  Hunt, 
master  of  a  fishing  ship,  after  having  very  wickedly 
enticed  some  twenty  Indians,  in  this  very  place,  on 
board  his  vessel,  under  pretence  of  trading,  had 
carried  them  off  to  Spain,  where  they  were  sold  as 
slaves.  Some  of  the  Nauset  men,  too,  had  been 
served  in  the  same  way.  Who  can  wonder  at  the 
Indians  for  dogging  these  colonists  about  to  kill 
them,  or  help  feeling  ashamed  of  that  cruel  Cap- 


THE   GREAT   SICKNESS  6$ 

tain  Hunt,  wlio  had  made  it  so  much  harder  for 
them  to  gain  the  good-will  of  their  savage  neigh- 
bors? Now  it  was  all  out.  Xow  it  was  the  turn 
of  the  white  men  to  hang  their  heads. 

To  show  their  good-will,  the  colonists  gave 
Samoset  a  knife,  a  bracelet,  and  a  ring  when  he 
went  awa\-.  He  promised  to  come  back  within  a 
day  or  two,  with  some  of  Massasoit's  men,  who, 
he  said,  would  bring  their  beaver  skins  to  trade 
with  the  English. 

Right  glad  were  the\-  to  have  thus  secured,  at 
once,  a  mediator  and  an  interpreter,  through  whom 
the}-  could  talk  with  their  red  neighbors. 

True  to  his  word,  Samoset  came  back  on  the 
appointed  day,  which  happened  to  be  Sunday, 
with  five  more  tall,  proper  men  in  his  company. 
The  careful  whites  made  them  leave  their  bows 
and  arrows  outside  the  village.  These  visitors 
had  on  long  leggings  reaching  to  the 
Visitors.  thigh,    and  above  that  a  leather  waist- 

cloth.  Every  one,  also,  had  a  deer-skin 
thrown  over  one  shoulder.  But  what  made  the 
white  men  stare  hardest  was  the  wa\'  that  these 
fellows  wore    their   hair  and    painted  their    faces. 


66  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

It  looked  as  if  they  must  have  got  themselves  up 
for  the  visit,  with  unusual  care.  Some  wore  their 
snaky  locks  trussed  straight  up,  like  a  cock's  comb, 
with  a  fox's  tail  dangling  down  from  it;  some 
had  blackened  their  faces  from  forehead  to  chin  ; 
and  still  others  had  daubed  their  faces  across  in 
streaks  of  black  and  white,  or  black,  red,  and 
white,  so  as  to  make  themselves  look  very  fierce, 
as  indeed  they  did,  for  the  white  women  could 
not  bear  to  look  at  them. 

After  eating  heartily  of  the  food  set  before  them, 
the  visitors  sang  and  danced  for  the  white  men; 
although  the  odd  ways  in  which  they  twisted  their 
bodies  about,  and  wagged  their  heads  to  a  sort  of 
droning  song,  must  have  made  it  hard  for  the  white 
men  to  keep  sober  faces. 

These  men  brought  back  all  the  stolen  tools. 
They  also  brought  a  few  skins,  for  which  the  white 
men  would  not  trade  on  that  day,  but  told  them  to 
go  and  get  more,  which  they  willingly  promised  to 
do;  and  presently  went  away,  seemingly  well 
pleased  with  their  reception.  To  Samoset  the 
.Englishmen  gave  a  hat,  a  shirt,  and  shoes  and 
stockings,  as  a  reward  for  his  faithfulness  so  far. 
To  each  of  the  others  some  trifles  were  given. 


THE   GREAT   SICKNESS  6^ 

Monday  and  Tuesday  the  people  were  busy 
digging  their  grounds,  and  sowing  their  garden 
seeds.  On  Wednesday  they  met  together,  for  the 
third  time,  to  settle  upon  their  civil  laws,  as  was 
needful ;  yet  again  they  were  interrupted  by  the 
appearance  of  two  or  three  savages  on  the  hill 
over  against  them,  who  whetted  their  arrows  and 
rubbed  their  bowstrings,  as  if  daring  the  white  men 
to  combat.  But  when  Standish  and  two  or  three 
more  went  out  to  meet  these  fellows,  they  quickly 
took  to  their  heels,  and  were  seen  no  more. 

This  day  is  remembered  as  the  one  on  which 
the  last  of  the  company  were  brought  on  shore 
from  the  "  Mayflower."  We  judge,  therefore,  that 
up  to  this  time  sufficient  house-room  had  not  been 
got  ready  to  accommodate  all  the  people.  So, 
thanks  to  their  perseverance  under  so  many  diffi- 
culties, families  were  again  united,  under  their 
own   roofs,   in  a  town  built   by  their  own  labors. 

1  It  is  not  easy  to  say  just  when  the  name  of  Plymouth,  or  New 
Plymouth,  was  adopted.  Not  until  July,  1621,  do  I  find  it  in  any 
written  account.    Patuxet  is  used  both  before  and  after  this  date. 

2  We  are  not  told  how  Samoset  came  to  be  there ;  his  presence  shows 
that  the  Indians  were  in  the  habit  of  making  long  journeys  on  foot  from 
tribe  to  tribe.     His  home  was  at  Peniaquid,  Me. 


68  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 


VII 


THE    COMING    OF   KING   MASSASOIT 

Thursdav%  the  22d  of  March,  was  a  very  fair, 
warm  day.  About  noon,  the  people  met  again 
on  the  public  business,  or,  as  we  should  now  say, 
in  town-meeting.  They  had  been  scarce  an 
hour  together  when  Samoset  came  to  them  again, 
bringing  with  him  another  Indian,  called 
comeT°  Squanto,    a   native   of   this  very  place, 

and  the  only  one  now  living.  Strange 
to  say,  his  life  had  been  saved  when  his  liberty 
was  lost ;  for  he  was  one  of  those  very  Indians 
carried  off  by  that  wicked  Captain  Hunt,  of  whom 
Samoset  had  told   them,  so  escaping   the  plague. 

These  men  were  come  to  tell  the  Englishmen 
that  Massasoit  himself,  the  great  Sagamore,  was 
near  at  hand  and  would  presently  pay  them  a 
visit.  In  the  course  of  an  hour  Massasoit  and  all 
his  train  of  warriors  came  in  sight,  on  the  top  of 
the  nearest  hill.     There  they  halted. 


THE   COMING    OF    KIN(;    MASSASOIT  69 

The  white  men  were  in  a  quandary.  I^'ear  of 
treachery  still  lurked  in  their  minds,  althou<^h 
everything  seemed  so  fair  and  open.  As  neither 
party  seemed  willing  to  make  ihe  first  advances, 
Squanto  went  again  to  Massasoit,  to  know  what  he 

desired.  All  that  Massasoit  asked  was 
visurThem.   ^^^^^  somc  ottc  be  sent  to  talk  with  him 

who  should  stay  as  a  hostage,  while  he 
himself  went  to-  the  Englishmen's  town.  The 
chief,  we  see,  was  just  as  much  afraid  to  trust  him- 
self among  the  white  men,  without  some  pledge  for 
his  safe  return  to  his  own  people,  as  the  white  men 
were  to  trust  him. 

To  give  and  take  hostages  in  such  a  case  as 
this  was,  indeed,  a  very  old  custom  with  all 
civilized  nations;  and  so  it  is  not  surprising  to 
find  it  practised  even  among  savages.  So  Edward 
VVinslow  was  chosen  to  go  to  Massasoit,  both  to 
know  his  will  and  to  let  him  know  that  the 
Englishmen     wished    to    have     peace     with     him. 

Winslow  took  with  him  some  knives,  a 
winsiowa       coppcr  chaiu,  and  some  other  gifts  for 

Hostage.  ^  ^  ^ 

Massasoit  and  his  brother,  who  was 
also     present.        These     things     were     graciously 


70 •  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

received ;  after  which  Winslow  did  his  errand 
in  a  speech,  which  the  two  Indian  interpreters 
repeated  after  him   as  well   as  they  could. 

Like  a  true  envoy,  Winslow  had  his  armor  on 
and  his  sword  by  his  side,  and  must  have  looked 
very  grand.  As  he  had  just  said  that  his  country- 
men hoped  to  have  friendly  trade  with  their 
neighbors,  Massasoit  took  him  up  on  the  spot 
by  ofifering  to  buy  his  breastplate  and  sword. 
This  was  more  than  Winslow  had  bargained  for, 
so  the   first  attempt  at  trading  fell  through. 

The  first  steps  being  thus  pleasantly  settled, 
Massasoit  now  came  to  the  town  with  twenty  men, 
all  leaving  their  bows  and  arrows  behind  them. 
Captain  Standish,  with  some  half-dozen  musket- 
eers,  escorted    them    to    an    unfinished 

Massasoit' s        it.  i 

„        .  house,    where   a    green    rug    and    some 

Reception.  '^  t> 

cushions  were  placed  for  his  copper- 
colored  majesty  to  sit  upon.  Then  came  Gov- 
ernor Carver,  attended  by  a  drummer  beating  his 
drum,  and  a  trumpeter  sounding  his  loudest,  and 
a  few  more  musketeers.  After  gravely  kissing  one 
another's  hands,  the  ruler  of  the  soil  and  the 
ruler   of  the  colony   sat   down    together,   side  by 


THE    COMING    OF   KING    MASSASOIT  J I 

side.  Then  the  governor  called  for  a  cup  of 
strong  waters,  which  he  first  quaffed  to  Massa- 
soit's  health,  in  the  good  old  English  fashion,  and 
then  passed  to  the  chieftain,  who  innocently  drank 
off  so  much  of  it  that  it  made  him  sweat  all  the 
time  he  was  there. 

A  treat}'  of  peace  was  made  on  the  spot,  which 
was  no  less  binding  because  it  consisted  of  so 
few  words.  Indeed,  as  the  Indians  would  have  to 
commit  it  to  memory,  the  fewer  words  the  better. 
And  once  thejr  word  was  given  the\'  seldom  broke 
it,  except  under  strong  provocation.  Because  it 
was  so  brief,  this  treaty  ma\'  be  easily 
Treaty  with     repeated.      Both    parties    agreed    to  do 

Massasoit.  ^  i  o 

each  other  no  hurt,  to  begin  with.  If 
an  Indian  should  hurt  a  white  man,  however,  the 
offender  was  to  be  sent  to  the  English  for  punish- 
ment. If  any  Indian  should  rob  the  English,  or 
any  Englishman  an  Indian,  each  party  agreed  to  see 
that  the  stolen  property  was  restored.  This  was 
a  rather  sharp  reminder  of  the  theft  of  the  tools. 
Each  also  promised  to  aid  the  other  in  case  of 
war ;  also  that  when  visiting  each  other,  the 
visitors  should  alwavs  come  unarmed.      Massasoit 


72  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

was  to  notify  all  of  his  red  neighbors,  so  that  they, 
also,  should  do  the  English  no  wrong. 

Business  being  thus  dispatched,  each  party  had 
time  to  look  the  other  over.  As  for  Massasoit,  he 
was  a  big,  stout  man,  in  the  prime  of  life,  grave 
in  his  looks,  and  sparing  of  speech.  His  face  was 
smeared  all  over  with  dark  red  paint.'  His  dress 
differed  little  from  that  of  his  followers,  except  that 
he  wore  a  long  chain  of  bone  beads  around  his 
neck,  as  a  mark  of  rank.  Yet  big  as  he  was,  either 
fear,  or  the  strong  waters,  or  both,  made  the  great 
Massasoit  tremble  all  the  time  he  was  there. 

When  Massasoit  took  his  leave,  some  of  his 
men  were  left  as  hostages  for  Winslow.  Six  of 
them,  we  find,  were  considered  to  be  worth  no 
more  than  one  white  man.  After  Massasoit  came 
Ouadequina,  who,  being  also  a  prince  of  the 
blood,  the  same  ceremonies  paid  to  the  king,  his 
brother,  had  to  be  gone  over  with  again.  Their 
followers  were  like  little  children,  filled  with 
wonder  at  every  new  thing  they  saw.  Having 
heard  the  trumpeter  sound  his  trumpet,  they 
also  would  try  it.  We  can  guess  what  a  wretched 
piece  of  work  they  made  of  it. 


THE   COMING   OF   KING   MASSASOIT  73 

Upon  the  return  of  this  party  to  their  friends, 
the  hostages  on  both  sides  were  dismissed.  Samo- 
set  and  Squanto  stayed  all  night  in  the  town ; 
while  Massasoit's  party  lay  out  in  the  woods  near 
by.  Ever  watchful,  the  white  men  kept  good 
guard  that  night ;  but  there  really  was  no  occa- 
sion for  it. 

Massasoit  having  gone  away,  on  Friday,  the 
twenty-third  day  of  the  month,  the  colonists  once 

more  met  together  to  make  an  end  of 
ingDai^^* '     ^l"*^  public  busiucss,    so    often    put    off 

before.  This  time  they  were  allowed  to 
finish  it  without  hindrance,  and  having  done  so, 
they  again  chose  John  Carver  to  be  their  governor 
for  the  year  following. 

Now,  from  this  time  forth  the  colonists  kept 
this  23d  day  of  March  as  their  annual  court-day, 
as  it  was  called,  because  they  had  then  first  estab- 
lished a  few  laws  and  an  annual  election-day. 
We  do  not  know  what  rules  they  had  been  living 
under  before.  Nobody  has  told  us.  But  we  do 
know  how  impatient  and  anxious  they  were  to 
have  some  laws  laid  down  which  all  should  know 
and  H\'e  up  to ;    and   now,  at  last,  this  had   been 


74  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

done.       And     there     Is    no    doubt  whatever    that 

all    the   law-abiding    people  went  away 

Civil  Gov-       from  that  meeting   feeling   much   easier 

ernment.  <=>  & 

in  their  minds,  and  that  they  had 
done  the  best  day's  work  yet.  And  well  they 
might.  They  had  founded  the  simplest  form  of 
civil  government  ever  begun  by  Englishmen  in 
America. 

There  was  little  danger  of  these  people  being 
governed  too  much,  as  the  saying  is,  for,  so  far  as 
we  know,  they  had  chosen  but  two  executive  offi- 
cers, a  governor  and  a  military  captain.  But 
behind  them  was  the  majesty  of  the  law  upheld 
by  the  majesty  of  the  people  Few  indeed  they 
were  ;  but  the  vital  laws  are  the  same  for  half  a 
hundred  as  for  a  hundred  thousand,  as  anyone 
can  understand  by  reading  the  Ten  Command- 
ments. 

While  the  people  were  thus  occupied  about 
affairs  of  state,  Squanto  had  gone  fishing  for  eels. 
At  night  he  brought  home  as  many  live  ones  as 
he  could  lift  with  one  hand.  He  had  caught  them 
by  treading  them  out  of  the  mud  with  his  feet. 
If  the  white  men  were  wise   in  their  own  conceit, 


THE    COMING    OK    KIXC    MASSASOIT  75 

they  had  found  that  even  a  poor  despised  Indian, 
hke  Samoset,  could  brin^  about  a  peace  when 
they  could  not,  or,  like  Squanto,  teach  them  how 
to  catch  eels  without  either  pots,  or  hooks,  or  bait. 
It  was  like  going  to  school  again,  this  starting  in 
life  in  a  new  country. 

'  Probably  his   color-mark   ot   royalty,  like  ihc    purple  robes    of  a* 
Eastern  prince. 


"J^  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 


VIII 

A   JOURNEY   TO    POKANOKET 

^  Although  the  fatal  sickness  had  much  abated, 
by  the  end  of  March  it  had  carried  off  half  the 
original  company ;  yet  of  those  left,  many  who 
had  been  sick  were  fast  getting  well  again.  When 
we  remember  that  scarce  half  the  survivors  were 
grown-up  men,  we  realize  how  near  this  colony 
had  come  to  sharing  the  fate  of  the  poor  plague- 
stricken  Indians. 

But  things  were  now  brightening  every  day. 
During  the  sickness  the  "  Mayflower  "  herself  had 
been  but  a  plague-ridden  ship  ;  for  her  people  had 
not  escaped  the  infection  any  more  than  the  colo- 
nists. Her  master's  hurry  to  be  gone  was  there- 
fore of  no  avail.  If  she  had  sooner  sailed  away,  the 
last  hope  of  the  colonists  would  have  gone  with 
her.  But  so  long  as  she  could  be  seen  riding  out 
in  the  bay,  one  hope  was  still  left  them. 

Now  that    their  minds   were    lightened    of   this 


A  JOURNEY   TO    POKANOKET  .  -J -J 

load,  and  fear  of  the   Indians  no   more  oppressed 
them,  the   "  Mayflower  "    lifted    anchor 

"Mayflower"  i  -i      i  i  ■  i 

Sails.  '^"'^  sailed  awa)',  leavmg  man\'  a  heavy 

heart  behind  her.  Long  they  watched 
her,  and  when  she  had  faded  from  their  sight,  who 
shall  tell  what  a  feeling  of  loneliness  came  over 
the  little  band  of  lookers-on?  Now,  indeed,  they 
felt  themselves  alone. 

Planting  time  having  come,  all  who  were  able 
to  work  now  went  to  putting  their  first  seed-corn 
in  the  ground.  Squanto  showed  them  how.  He 
told  them  that  the  Indians  always  dropped  a  fish 
in  each  and  ever\-  hill  of  corn,  and  that  unless 
they  did  so  too,  these  old  worn-out  fields 
com.'"^  would  yield  but  poorlw  Then  he  showed 
them  where  to  take  all  the  alewives  they 
would  want  right  at  their  own  doors.  But  without 
the  help  of  either  horses,  oxen,  or  ploughs,  dig- 
ging over  the  sodden  ground  with  a  spade  was 
certainly  slow,  hard  work. 

While  they  were  busy  about  their  planting,  no 
well  man  or  boy  being  excused,  Governor  Car\'er, 
who  was  at  work  like  the  rest,  was  taken  sud- 
denly   ill,    and    went    home.       He     grew    rapidly 


78  ^  ON    I'LYMOUTII    ROCK 

worse,  fell  into  a  deep  stupor,  and,  after  lingering 
a  few  days  in  this  way,  he  died.     Thus 

Governor  ^1^1-  .  • 

Carver  Dies.  ^*^  '*^^^  their  govemor  was  a  most  griev- 
ous blow  to  all.  He  was  buried  with 
military  honors  as  befitted  the  highest  among 
them,  though  no  man  knows  just  where.  A  hand- 
ful of  soldiers  tenderly  bore  the  body  to  the  grave  ; 
and  when  it  was  covered  they  fired  a  volley  over 
it,  and  all  was  over. 

The  colony  being  now  thus  left  without  a  head, 
William  Bradford  was  chosen  governor. 
Chosen.  ^^  ^^^  "^^^  ^^^  Y^^  weW  of  3  daugcrous 

illness,  Isaac  AUerton  was  chosen  his 
assistant  or  deputy.  And  now  we  have  three 
colony  officers,  a  governor,  an  assistant,  and  a 
military  captain. 

Within  a  few  short  weeks.  Governor  Carver's 
wife,  a  weakly  woman,  followed  her  husband  to 
the   grave. 

Something  now  happened  to  turn  men's  minds 
away  from  such  gloomy  events  as  these  —  some- 
thing tending  to  restore  confidence,  not  break  it 
down.  A  widower  and  a  widow,  each  made  so  by 
these  sad  afflictions,  were  joined  in  marriage.    The 


80  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

groom  was  Edward  Winslow  and  the  bride  Susan- 
nah White,  mother  of  Httle  Peregrine.  It  was  no 
long  courtship.  Winslow's  first  wife  had  died 
only  some  seven  weeks  before,  and  Mrs.  White's 
husband  a  month  earlier.      It  was  a  civil 

Winslow's  •  I-  1  1 

Wedding.  marriage,  performed,  we  suppose,  by 
the  governor,  they  having  no  minister 
of  their  own.  Although  there  was  no  ringing  of 
bells  or  bringing  home  of  the  bride  in  state,  yet  if 
this  happy  event  did  not  banish  every  other  thought 
from  the  minds  of  the  women*-folk,  we  are  much 
mistaken. 

While  the  corn  was  growing  and  there  was  little 
to  do,  it  was  thought  fitting  to  return  Massasoit's 
visit.  Naturally,  there  was  much  curiosity  about 
this  chieftain  who  had  eaten  and  drank  with  them. 
What  sort  of  a  place  did  he  live  in?  How  did  he 
keep  his  dusky  court?  And  was  his  friendship 
still  as  warm  as  when  he  sweat  so  freely,  after 
drinking  the  Englishman's  health? 

Edward  Winslow  and  Stephen  Hopkins  there- 
fore, started  off  for  Massasoit's  town,  taking  Squan- 
to  as  their  guide.  It  was  a  bold  thing  for  these 
two  men  thus  to  trust  themselves  alone  amon^  the 


A   JOURNEY   TO    POKANOKET  8 I 

savages ;   but  they  went  as  freely  and  fearlessly  on 
their  long  road  as  Samoset  had  come  to  them. 

A  well-beaten  forest  path  brought  them  first  to 

an  Indian  town,  called  Namasket,^  whence,  after  a 

short  halt,  they  kept  on  to  a  river,  where  more 

Indians    were    fishing    for    bass.     This 

July,   1621. 

bemg  only  a  fishing  resort,  and  not  a 
village,  the  travellers  slept  in  the  open  fields,  like 
the  Indians,  who  told  them  that  this  river  would 
take  them  to  Massasoit's  town. 

In  the  morning  they  again  set  out  along  the 
river,  followed  by  half  a  dozen  of  their  new 
acquaintances,  who  did  not  wait  for  an  invitation, 
but  stuck  to  them  like  wax.  After  going  some 
miles  the  Indians  halted  on  the  bank,  for  here 
the   river  must  be  forded,  they  said. 

Stripping  to  the  waist,  the  party  waded  out  into 
the  river,  onl}-  to  be  suddenly  brought  to  a  stand, 
when  half-way  across,  by  the  appearance  of  two 
Indians  on  the  opposite  bank,  who  came  rushing 
down  to  the  water's  edge,  yelling  and  bending 
their  bows  as  if  to  drive  the  travellers  back.  As 
soon  as  it  could  be  explained  who  and  what  they 
were,  these  guardians  of  the  ford  gave  way  to  the 


82.  0\   PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

Strangers,  who,  no  doubt,  felt  as  much  mortified  at 
being  stopped  by  two  men  with  bows  and  arrows, 
as  by  the  sorry  figure  they  had  cut  standing  out 
there  in  the  water,  half-dressed. 

Having  rested  themselves  a  little,  for  it  was  a 
very  hot  day,  the  party  set  forward  again.  When 
they  came  to  any  small  stream  their  Indian  com- 
panions would  insist  on  carrying  them  across  on 
their  backs,  or  when  the  white  men  grew  tired 
oft"ered  to  carry  their  muskets  for  them  ;  showing, 
in  this  way,  their  gratitude  for  any  little  acts  of 
kindness  done  them. 

Thus  the  travellers  came  at  length  to  Pokano- 
ket,^  Massasoit's  town.  Massasoit  himself  was  not 
then  at  home ;  so  a  messenger  was  dispatched  for 
him.  When  the  chieftain  drew  near,  Squanto 
asked  the  Englishmen  to  fire  off  their 
nok^t'''^  muskets  in  his  honor;     but  on  seeing 

one  of  them  take  up  his  gun  to  do  so, 
all  the  women  and  children  instantly  ran  away  in 
a  fright,  so  great  was  their  dread  of  the  English- 
men's firearms. 

Massasoit    welcomed   the    ambassadors    kindly, 
took  them  into  his  wigwam,  and  made   them  sit 


A   JOURNEY   TO    POKANOKET  83 

down  beside  him.  A  Christian  prince  would  have 
asked  them  at  once  to  what  he  owed  the  honor  of 
this  visit.  Much  more  poh"te  was  the  savage's 
way  of  waiting  in  silence  for  his  guests  to 
speak. 

If  the  envoys  were  not  embarrassed  how  to 
begin,  we  do  not  know  what  could  have  embar- 
rassed them.  However,  they  said  their  errand  in 
their  own  tongue,  leaving  Squanto  to  put  it  into 
Indian  for  them  ;  and  that,  no  doubt,  made  it  all 
the  easier  for  them. 

They  began  by  requesting  that  peace  and  good- 
will might  continue  between  them.  "  But,"  they 
went  on  to  say,  "  we  must  ask  your  majesty  to 
keep  your  subjects  from  coming  to  our  town  with- 
out leave  or  license  ;  for  they  expect  us  to  feed 
them  at  all  times,  which,  indeed,  we  have  done, 
although  we  are  afraid  that  they  will  eat  us  out  of 
house  and  home."  Scant  hospitality  this  seems  ! 
But  the  poor  colonists  had  to  draw  the  line  some- 
where. 

Then  they  tempered  the  sharpness  of  this  re- 
quest somewhat,  by  saying  that  of  course  Massa- 
soit  himself,  or  any  of  his  messengers,  should  be 


84  ON   PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

always  welcome ;  and  in  order  that  his  messen- 
gers might  be  known,  the  English  governor  had 
sent  him  a  copper  chain,  both  as  a  present  and  a 
token  that  the  wearer  should  pass  freely.  Then 
the  chain  was  put  round  Massasoit's  neck,  where 
he  sat  grimly  listening. 

Having  thus  freed  their  minds,  the  envoys  next 
asked  that  those  who  had  skins  to  sell  should 
bring  them  to  the  English  town.  It  is  not  at  all 
surprising  that  the  colonists  should  wish  to  start 
a  trade  with  the  Indians,  because  it  was  the  only 
way  of  paying  what  they  owed  for  their  passage 
and  supplies.  For  this  purpose  they  had  brought 
with  them  some  cheap  trinkets  and  small  wares ; 
such  as  the  fishing  ships  paid  for  skins  with ; 
and  they  very  well  knew  that  both  Dutch  and 
French  ships  were  in  the  habit  of  trading  along 
these  very  coasts,  for  their  goods  were  seen  among 
the  Indians. 

One  thing  more  the  envoys  hastened  to  relieve 
their  minds  of  We  remember  how  the  exploring 
party  had  dug  up  and  carried  away  corn  that  did 
not  belong  to  them.  This  act  had  laid  heavily 
upon  their  consciences  ever  since.     Massasoit  was 


A   JOURNEY   TO    POKANOKET  85 

now  asked  to  let  the  owners  know  that  the  white 
people     wished    to    pay    for    what  had 

Restitution.  ... 

been  taken,  in  whatever  they  had  to 
give.  The  chief  readily  promised  to  be  their 
mediator  in  this  affair,  and  the  interview  closed 
with  the  envoys'  putting  a  show}'  red  coat, 
trimmed  with  lace,  on  Massasoit's  back,  at  which 
he  and  his  chief  men  were  not  a  little  puffed  up. 

After  this  Massasoit  made  a  long  speech  to  his 
own  men.  It  was  made  up  of  questions,  such  as, 
"  Am  I  not  ?^Iassasoit,  lord  of  all  the  countr\' 
round  about?  Is  not  such  a  town  mine,  and  the 
people  of  it?"  Then  he  named  over  as  many  as 
thirty  places,  one  by  one,  and  every  time  he 
paused  for  an  answer,  one  and  all  loudly  shouted 
out  their  approval.  Having  shown  his  authority 
in  this  manner,  Massasoit  signified  his  will  that  his 
people  should  bring  all  their  skins  to  the  English 
town.     And  his  will  was  their  law. 

This  done,  pipes  were  lighted.  It  grew  late. 
but  Massasoit  did  not  offer  his  guests  anything 
to  eat,  although  they  were  very  hungry  indeed. 
Seeing  they  would  get  nothing  to  eat,  they 
asked     leave    to    go    to     bed.       The    chief    made 


86  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

them    lie    down    on    his    own     bed,    they    at    one 

end,    he    and     his    wife     at    the    other. 

".  ,^!!^"        It  was   only  some    planks   raised    a  foot 

soit  s  Bed.  ■'  *■ 

from  the  ground,  with  a  thin  mat 
spread  over  it.  Two  more  lusty  fellows,  who  also 
slept  there,  crowded  upon  them  so  closely  that 
they  declared  they  were  more  weary  of  their  lodg- 
ings than  of  their  journey. 

News  of  the  strange  white  men  being  there 
having  spread  abroad,  a  great  many  Indians 
flocked  in  to  see  them.  These  people  presently 
fell  to  gaming  among  themselves,  for  skins  and 
knives,  while  the  white  men  looked  on.  It  was  no 
new  thing  to  them,  except  in  the  kind  of  games 
that  were  played,  for  gambling  was  commonly 
practised  in  the  Old  Country  at  fairs,  as  well  as 
on  most  holidays.  But  these  games  were  new  to 
them. 

Seeing  so  many  skins  changing  hands,  Winslow 
and  Hopkins  offered  to  shoot  at  a  mark  with  the 
Indians,  for  skins,  as  our  country  people  do 
to-day  for  turkeys.  They  wanted  the  skins,  too, 
and  believed  that  they  could  easily  beat  the 
Indians  at  this  game.      But  the  Indians  could   not 


A   JOURNEV   TO    POKANOKET  8/ 

be  persuaded  to  tr\-  it.  though  their  skill  at  shoot- 
ing with  the  bow  and  arrow  was  truh'  wonderful, 
because  they  really  believed  gunpowder  to  be  a 
kind  of  devil,  who  had  power  to  kill  them  in  the 
twinkling  of  an  eye. 

Instead  of  making  a  match,  the  Indians  asked 
the  white  men  to  fire  at  a  mark.  Willing  to 
gratify  them,  one  of  the  \'isitors  loaded  his  gun 
with  small  shot,  took  aim,  and  fired.  Great  was 
the  astonishment  of  the  natives  when  they  saw 
the  mark  so  full  of  shot-holes. 

It  was  after  noonda\-  when  Massasoit  brought 
in  two  great  fishes,  that  he  had  either  shot  or 
speared  while  out  looking  for  a  dinner  for  all 
these  guests  of  his.  With  nice  calculation  these 
two  fishes  were  made  to  go  round,  among  at  least 
fort}'  hungry  mouths  ;  so  that  while  everybod}'  had 
a  mouthful,  nobod}'  had  a  full  meal.  And  the 
two  envoys  declare,  with  much  feeling,  that  this 
was  their  first  and  only  meal  for  two  days  and  a 
night  past. 

What  Avith  fasting  and  want  of  sleep,  the 
envoys  were  in  no  mood  to  trespass  on  ^lassasoit's 
hospitalit}'  longer.     They  did  not  then   know  that. 


88  ON   PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

with  savages,  it  was  always  either  a  feast  or  a  fast; 
and  if  they  had  known  it,  the  knowledge  could 
make  little  difference  to  men  afraid  they  would 
not  have  strength  enough  to  get  home  again.  So, 
on  a  Friday,  before  sunrise,  the  envoys  took  their 
leave  of  Massasoit,  who  kept  Squanto,  but  gave 
them  another  guide   in  his  place. 

Winslow  and  Hopkins  had  now  made  what  may 
be  called  a  commercial  treaty  with  Massasoit.  A 
treaty  of  peace  had  been  already  made.  But  best 
of  all  was  the  act  of  restitution  for  the  corn.  It 
could  not  fail  to  show  that  the  white  men  were 
honest  folk,  and  not  thieves  and  robbers.  And  as 
even  Indians  could  understand  this,  the  colonists 
now  went  among  them  as  fearlessly  as  they  would 
have  walked  in  the  streets  of  London  itself. 

'  This  was  what  is  now  Middleboro',  Mass. 

2  Mount  Hope,  in  Bristol,  R.I.,  was  the  royal  seat  of  Massasoit. 


A   VOYAGE   TO   NAUSET  89 


IX 

A   VOYAGE    TO   NAUSET 

Ix  this  same  pleasant  summer  month,  a  lad 
named  John  Billington,  brother  of  him  who  had 
so  nearly  blown  up  the  "  Mayflower,"  strayed  away 
into  the  woods  and  was  lost.  So  some 
Lost"^  °"  people  went,  in  the  shallop,  in  search 
of  him.  The  bo\' was  supposed  to  have 
wandered  off  somewhere  to  the  south,  because 
Massasoit's  people  had  looked  everywhere  else  for 
him  in  vain;  and,  if  so,  it  was  feared  that  the 
youngster  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  bad 
Indians   down   that  way. 

The  searchers  took  Squanto  and  another  Indian 
along,  to  talk  with  their  own  people  who  might  be 
met  with.  In  fact,  nothing  could  be  done  without 
Squanto. 

Toward  night  the}'  put  into  a  shallow  bay  for  a 
harbor,  dropping  anchor  well  out  for  more  safety. 
At  low  tide  the  shallop  la}'  aground,  and  presently 


90  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

some  Indians  were  seen  hunting  the  sands  for 
lobsters.  So  the  two  friend  Indians  went  to  see  if 
these  men  could  give  them  any  news  of  the  boy. 
They  at  once  said  that  he  was  at  Nauset,  of  all 
places  the  very  one  where  the  explorers  had  been 
so  sharply  attacked  the  winter  before. 

When  told  to  have  no  fears,  as  the  white  men 
would  not  hurt  them,  the  strange  Indians  invited 
the  shallop's  people  on  shore  to  eat  with  them, 
which  was  done  as  soon  as  the  shallop  floated  again. 
But  four  Indians  stayed  in  her  as  hostages,  while 
six  of  the  party  went  on  shore.  These 
^"°"^  ■  were  taken  before  lanough,  chief  sachem, 
or  ruler  of  this  place,  who  turned  out  to  be  a  very 
young  and  very  gentle  sort  of  savage.  So  cour- 
teous, indeed,  was  he  that  the  visitors  were  quite 
charmed  with  him. 

There  was  a  very  aged  Indian  woman,  near  a 
hundred  years  old,  who,  out  of  curiosity,  came  to 
see  what  an  Englishman  was  like,  never  having 
laid  eyes  on  one  before.  But  the  moment  she 
looked  at  these  strangers  she  broke  out  crying 
and  weeping  as  if  her  very  heart  would  break. 
The   Englishmen   were    much    surprised,   and   de- 


A   VOYAGE   TO   NAUSET  9 1 

manded  to  know  the  meaning  of  it.  They  were 
then  told  that  the  scoundrel  Hunt,  of 
Mother.  whom   I   told   you   before,   had    carried 

ofif  two  of  this  poor  woman's  sons,  leav- 
ing her  both  childless  and  inconsolable  in  her  old 
age. 

This  was  quite  enough  to  make  the  white  men 
wish  themselves  anywhere  else  than  there,  for 
they  could  now  well  understand  why  the  Indians 
of  these  parts  should  think  all  Englishmen  were 
like  cruel  Hunt.  And  so  it  is  that  the  innocent 
must  sometimes  suffer  for  the  guilt>\  However, 
they  said  they  were  sorr\';  that  Hunt  was  a  bad 
man,  whom  everybody  condemned  ;  but  that  they 
themselves  were  good  men,  whose  onl\'  wish  was 
to  be  at  peace  with  all  the  world.  The}'  then 
gave  the  bereaved  woman  some  small  gifts,  which 
somewhat  quieted  her  outcries. 

After  dinner  the  searching  party  set  sail  for 
Nauset,  lanough,  with  two  of  his  men,  going  with 
them.  Here,  again,  the  tide  being  too  low  to 
bring  the  shallop  to  the  shore,  lanough  and  his 
men,  with  Squanto,  went  ofif  to  explain  the  reason 
of  their  beine  there. 


92 


ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 


This    was    no    sooner    done    than     the     Nauset 
savages  came  off   in   great  numbers  to   the  boat, 


^]^/s^  ^fit^Jil^dj 


Autographs  of  the  Pilgrims. 


begging  the  Enghshmen  to  land  there  ;  yet  con- 
sidering how  they  were  set  upon  before,  it  was 
thought  best  to  stay  at  a  safe  distance.      So  they 


A   VOYAGE   TO   NAIJSET  93 

stood  upon  their  guard,  sufifering  only  two  of  the 
natives  to  come  on  board,  one  of  whom,  strangely 
enough,  proved  to  be  the  owner  of  some  of  the 
very  corn  that  the  explorers  had  dug  up.  He 
was  promised  the  full  value  of  what  he  had  lost, 
if  he  would  come  to  Patuxet;  and  he  said  that 
he  would   come. 

After  sunset  Aspinet,  sachem  of  Nauset,  came 
down  to  the  beach  with  not  less  than  a  hundred 
of  his  people  following  him  ;  and  with  them  was 
the  long-lost  Billington  boy.  One  of  Aspinet's 
men  then  waded  off  to  the  boat,  with 
Fo!nd°^  the  lad  on  his  back.  Half  of  the  war- 
riors came  off  to  the  shallop  with  him, 
unarmed,  while  the  other  half  stood  on  the  beach, 
with  their  bows  and  arrows,  ready  to  shoot  at  the 
least  appearance  of  treacher}-. 

Then  and  there  Aspinet  delivered  up  the  boy  to 
his  friends,  who,  in  return,  gave  Aspinet 
^^'"^  ■  a  knife  and   another  to  the  Indian  who 

had  taken  care  of  Billington.  Then  and  there 
the  English  made  peace  with  these  old  enemies, 
after  which  each  party  went  its  own  wa)-,  well  sat- 
isfied with  the  other. 


94  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

This,  certainly,  was  a  good  day's  work,  as  by  it 
the  colonists  had  much  strengthened  their  hold 
upon  the  Indians,  besides  greatly  enlarging  their 
own  field  for  trade.  Even  during  their  short  stay 
at  Nauset  the  party  had  picked  up  a  few  skins  to 
show  to  their  friends  at  home.  And  thus  this 
good-for-nothing  Billington  boy  proved  a  means 
of  bringing  about  some  good  when  least  expected. 

Is  it  not  reasonable  to  suppose  that  if  these  war- 
like Nausets  had  killed  and  wounded  some  of  the 
explorers  at  the  time  of  the  assault,  the  rest  would 
have  been  frightened  away?  It  would  seem  so. 
But  they  know  better  than  to  try  to  revenge  them- 
selves ;  and  by  behaving  toward  the  Indians  like 
prudent,  sensible  men,  had  now  passed  the  danger 
point  safely. 


A    SEARCH    FOR    CURUITAM'  S    HEAD  95 


X 

A    SEARCH    FOR    CORHITANT'S    HEAD 

Upon  their  return  to  Patuxet,  the  searching 
party  heard  bad  news.  It  seems  that  the  great 
Narragansetts,  who  Hved  over  against  Massasoit, 
had  driven  him  out  of  his  habitation, 
ews.  \Yqj.(j  ^ygg  3I5Q  brought  to  Patuxet  that 
one  of  Massasoit's  chief  men,  called  Corbitant,  had 
rebelled  against  him,  and  was  now  at  Namasket, 
trying  to  draw  those   Indians  into   his  plot. 

In  truth,  this  looked  serious,  for  the  English 
knew  that  Corbitant  would  be  only  too  glad  to 
see  them  driven  out  of  the  country,  or  else  all 
killed.  For  this  very  purpose  he  had  been 
secretly  working  upon  the  Narragansetts,  who 
had  now  taken  up  the  quarrel,  as  has  just  been 
said. 

Now,  we  remember  that  the  colonists  had 
agreed  to  aid  Massasoit  against  his  enemies,  as 
he  had  to  aid  them  against  theirs.     The  time  had 


96  ON  rLVMOurii  rock 

now  conn-  for  them  to  do  so.  Indeed,  it  was  really 
more  their  quarrel  than  Massasoit's,  because,  by 
making  friends  with  the  English,  he  had  made 
enemies  among  his  own  people;  and  therefore 
the  English  were  all   the  more  bound  to  help   him. 

But  what  most  provoked  the  English  was  the 
way  that  this  Corbitant  taunted  and  defied  them. 
And  their  wrath  rose  still  higher  at  hearing  how 
he  had  tried  to  stab  a  friend  Indian  of 
theirs,  who  happened  to  be  at  Namas- 
ket  when  Corbitant  was  bringing  his  plot  to  a 
head.  This  man,  Hobomock,  however,  being  a 
very  stout  man  himself,  broke  away  from  Cor- 
bitant's  grasp,  and  came  running  to  Patuxet,  leav- 
ing his  companion,  Squanto,  in  Corbitant's  hands. 

The  English  quickly  resolved  either  to  rescue 
Squanto,  their  fast  friend,  or,  if  a  hair  of  his  head 
had  been  harmed,  to  teach  his  murderers  a  lesson 
they  would  long  remember.  They,  however,  feared 
the  worst,  for  Corbitant  had  sneeringly  said  that 
if  Squanto  were  dead,  then  the  English  would  have 
lost  their  tongue. 

Accordingly,  ten  well-armed  men,  under  Captain 
Standish,  started   off   early  the  next  morning  for 


A    SEARCH    FOR    CORHITANT'S    HEAD  97 

Namaskct,  takin<^  Hobomock  with  them,  as  it 
was  meant  to  surprise  the  village  in  the 
Namasket.  »'ght ;  and  Hobomock  alone  knew 
just  where  Corbitant  was  to  be  found. 
The  party  marched  all  day  in  the  rain,  until  come 
within  three  miles  of  Namasket,  when  they  turned 
ofif  the  path,  and  lay  hid  in  the  woods  till  mid- 
night. 

They  then  groped  their  way  through  midnight 
darkness,  once  getting  lost,  but  finding  the  path 
again,  until  Hobomock  let  them  know  that  the 
place  the\'  sought  was  near  at  hand. 

When  each  man  had  thrown  off  his  knapsack 
and  everyone  had  blown  his  match  to  a  bright  red 
glow,  the  little  band  silently  went  on  to  the  house 
where  Corbitant  la\',  and  as  silently  surrounded 
it.  First  giving  strict  order  to  his  men  to  let  no 
one  pass  out,  Standish,  with  one  or  two  more  at 
his  back,  boldly  entered  the  low  door  of  the 
wigwam. 

It  was  pitch  dark  there,  yet  the  wigwam  seemed 
full  of  people  fast  asleep.  Raising  his  voice, 
Standish  sternly  demanded  of  the  sleepers  if  Cor- 
bitant  was    there.       Getting   no   answer,    Standish 


98  ON    I'LYMOUTH    ROCK 

chari^cd  them  on  their  hvcs  not  to  stir,  as  Corbi- 
tant  alone  was  wanted  and  none  else  should  be 
hurt;  but  their  fright  was  so  great  that  some 
broke  out  in  spite  of  this  warning,  only  to  run 
upon  the  weapons  of  the  guards,  who  drove 
them  back  howling  from  the  smart  of  their 
wounds. 

Standish,  who  seems  never  to  have  felt  fear, 
now  ordered  his  prisoners  to  strike  a  light,  so  that 
he  might  see  who  was  there.  Those  who  were 
huddled  together  in  craven  fear  were  now  worse 
frightened  than  ever  by  the  stern  looks  and  gleam- 
ing weapons  of  the  Englishmen,  as  the 
Ihowrwerve.  fii'e-light  brought  them  into  view.  The 
women  clung  crying  around  Hobomock, 
entreating  him  and  calling  him  their  friend,  while 
the  place  was  being  searched  for  the  traitor,  Cor- 
bitant;  and  even  the  boys,  upon  seeing  that  no 
harm  was  offered  to  the  women,  kept  bawling  out, 
"  Me  woman  —  me  woman,  too  !  " 

But  the  cunning  Corbitant  was  nowhere  to  be 
found.  After  Hobomock's  escape,  the  crafty  fellow 
had  taken  the  alarm  in  season  to  leave  the  place 
with  his  followers.     By  so  doing  he  kept  his  head 


A    SEARCH    FOR    CORRITANT's    HEAD  99 

on  his  own  shoulders  ;  for  the  Knt^lish  had  orders 
to  bring  it  back  with  them  to  Patuxet. 

Meantime  the  English  had  fired  ofif  a  musket 
or  two,  to  let  their  friends  know  that  they  were 
come  to  the  rescue.  This  threw  the  silent  little 
village  into  a  strange  uproar.  Then  Hobomock 
got  on  top  of  a  house,  and  called  out  to  Squanto 
and  Tokamahamon,  by  name,  in  a  loud  voice,  and 
presently  these  two  came  to  the  spot,  with  many 
more,  some  armed,  some  unarmed.  Those  who 
had  brought  their  weapons  were  disarmed,  but 
given  their  libert}'.  as  they  could  then  do  no  harm. 

The  English  kept  possession  of  the  house  first 
taken  until  morning,  when  only  it  was  possible  to 
tell  friends  from  foes.  They  then  marched  into  the 
middle  of  the  village  to  breakfast,  at  Squanto's 
house.  Here  came  all  the  well-disposed  Indians 
to  them,  to  whom  the  English  now  made 

The  Revolt         ,  ^,      -  •  •  xU  • 

Put  Down  known  their  purpose  m  commg  there  m 
arms,  as  they  had.  Indeed,  all  of  Cor- 
bitant's  faction  had  fled  to  the  woods.  But  the 
Indians  were  told  that  no  place  should  be  safe  for 
Corbitant,  while  he  continued  breathing  defiance 
to  the  English,  or  offering  harm  to  their  friends; 


100  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

for  sooner  or  later  they  would  have  him,  dead  or 
alive. 

Those  who  were  wounded  were  told  that  they 
had  only  themselves  to  blame  for  it ;  yet  they 
might  go  home  with  the  English,  and  have 
their  wounds  healed,  if  they  so  desired.  So  two 
or  three  went,  as  they  were  invited,  besides  many 
more,  who  wished  to  show  their  friendship  in  this 
way. 

By  this  bold  act  Corbitant's  rebellion  was  nipped 
in  the  bud,  and  he  himself  became  an  outlaw  and 
a  fugitive,  not  daring  to  come  within  sound  of  an 
English  musket  for  a  long  time  after.  It  showed 
what  ten  resolute  men  could  do  against  a  multitude, 
by  simply  putting  a  bold  face  upon  it. 

Now  had  the  few  and  feeble  colonists  paid  their 
debt  to  Massasoit,  with  interest,  and  again  was  he 
lord  of  his  own.  For  as  the  news  was  spread 
abroad  among  the  neighbor  tribes,  even  those  who 
before  had  breathed  out  nothing  but  threatenings 
and  slaughter  were  now  the  first  to  profess  them- 
selves the  good  friends  and  allies  of  the  white  men. 


A    VOYAGE   TO    MASSACIIUSEITS  lOI 


XI 


A    VOYAGE    TO    MASSACHUSETTS 

Off  to  the  north  of  Plymouth,  not  many 
leagues,  lay  the  country  of  the  Massachusetts,  of 
which  these  colonists  had  heard  much,  but  knew 
little.  By  all  report  it  was  a  ver\-  fine  country; 
but  Squanto  said  the  people  there  did  not  like 
the  white  men  ;  although,  in  some  sort,  they  were 
subjects  of  Massasoit,  the  white  men's  friend. 

It  was  decided,  howcYer,  that  some  of  the 
company  should  go  to  Massachusetts,  to  see  the 
country  and  make  friends  with  the  people,  who, 
it  was  known,  sold  their  skins  to  passing  ships  at  a 
very  cheap  rate. 

Let  no  one  suppose  that  the  minds  of  these 
poor  colonists  were  wholly  bent  on  getting  rich. 
They  owned  nothing  in  the  wide  world  except  a 
little  household  stuff  and  the  clothes  the\-  stood 
in  ;  perhaps  not  even  these  were  paid  for.  But 
poor  as  they  were,  a  load  of  debt  sorely  oppressed 


102  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

them  ;  and  every  glossy  beaver  skin  was  as  good 
as  gold  in   England. 

With  this  intent  ten  F.nglishmen,  with  three 
Indian  interpreters,  set  sail  for  this  undiscov- 
ered country.  The  entrance  to  it  led  between 
many  great  and  small  islands,  some  bare,  some 
covered  with  woods,  into  a  broad  bay, 
HiUs.  "^  with  a  group  of  blue  hills  rising  finely 
in  one  corner  of  it.  These  hills  gave  the 
country  its  name — the  Massachusetts.  Indeed, 
it  was  all  most  fair  to  look  upon  ;  but  save  for 
some  screaming  sea-gull,  no  sound  broke  the  deep 
stillness  on  land  or  sea. 

Night  having  overtaken  them,  the  shallop  let  go 
her  anchor  at  the  head  of  the  bay.  Next  morn- 
ing the  people  went  on  shore.  The  first  thing 
they  saw  was  some  live  lobsters  lying  on  the 
beach,  where  somebody  had  left  them.  Seeing  a 
breakfast  provided,  as  if  by  magic,  the  hungry 
explorers  were  soon  as  busy  with  the  toothsome 
lobsters   as   if  they  had  been   their  own. 

At  this  place  a  rocky  clifif  bulged  out  over- 
head.' One  man  stood  guard  on  the  top  of  it, 
and  three  more  were  left  in  charge  of  the  shallop ; 


A    VOYAC.E    TO    MASSACHUSETTS 


lO- 


while  the  rest  started  off  to   look   for  the   inhabi- 
tants.    They  soon  met  a  native  woman, 
squantum        comini/  back  after  her  lobsters,  whom 

Head.  f->  ' 

they  paid  for  what  they  had   taken,  and 
then  (juestioned  about  her  people. 


Squaw  Rock,  Squantum,  Mass. 


This  woman  having  told  them  where  to  look, 
Squanto  went  off  ahead,  on  foot  and  alone ;  all 
the  rest  turning  back  to  bring  the  shallop  round 
to  the  right  place. 

Upon  getting  to  it,  they  were  made  welcome 
by  the  grave  sachem,  Obatinewat,  who  soon 
grew  quite  confidential.  Among  other  things, 
he   told   them   he  dared    not   live   long   in  any  one 


I04  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

place   for  fear  of  the  robber  Tarratines,  who  came 
down  upon  him  every  now  and  then  out 

Obatinewat.  ^  ,  i  ,.     I'l  ii. 

ot  the  east,  hke  vultures  pouncmg  upon 
their  prey.  Like  Massasoit,  he  too  wanted  pro- 
tection. His  next  neighbor,  the  Massachusetts 
queen,  was  also  his  enemy.  Glad  are  we  to  know 
that  it  was  not  the  white  man  who  had  taught 
them  thus  to  tear  and  rend  one  another. 

The  shrewd  whites  quickly  saw  how  they  might 
turn  Obatinewat's  fears  to  their  own  advantage. 
He  was  easily  persuaded  to  own  himself  a  true 
subject  of  King  James,  in  return  for  a  promise 
to  defend  him  from  his  enemies.  He  then  went 
with  his  visitors  across  the  bay,  where  the  shallop 
again  anchored  for  the  night. 

In  the  morning,  all  but  two  men  took  their 
arms  to  march  up  into  the  countr}'.  After  going 
some  three  miles,  as  they  thought,  they  came  to 
a  place  where  the  corn  had  been  newly  gathered 
in  and  a  wigwam  pulled  down,  showing  that 
people  had  ver\'  lately  been  there ;  but  whether 
frightened  away  or  not  could   not  be  guessed. 

A  mile  or  so  farther  on,  the  explorers  came  to 
a  ver}'  curious   Indian   house,   built  at  the  top   of 


A    VOYAGE   TO    MASSACHUSETTS  IO5 

a   hill,   \'ct  quite    unlike    any   they  had  ever   seen 
before.     Their  Indian  i^uides  said   it  was  the  spot 

where  King  Nanepashemet  had  for- 
emet."'^^  iTicrly  Hved,  but  that  he  was  now  dead 

and  buried.  Instead  of  being  built  on 
the  ground,  like  other  houses,  this  one  stood  on 
a  scaffold,  or  platform,  resting  on  poles;  so  that 
from  a  secure  place  the  savage  monarch  might  sit 
there  and  look  out  over  all  his  broad  domains  quite 
at  his  ease. 

The  party  then  went  to  see  the  place  where 
Nanepashemet  was  buried.  The\'  thought  that 
it  must  be  intended  for  a  fort,  because  the  hut, 
where    the    bod\'   lay   in    state,  was   fenced    round 

with    poles    thirt}'    or    forty    feet    high, 

with  a  ditch  dug  both  inside  and  out. 
But  we  fancy  all  this  was  done  to  keep  the 
wolves  away,  and  that  it  was  really  a  mausoleum. 
At  any  rate,  it  showed  that  even  savages  paid  the 
same  respect  to  their  dead  and  gone  great  ones  as 
was  paid  to  the  ashes  of  the  great  Napoleon. 

Still  farther  on,  the  explorers  came  to  the  place 
where  Nanepashemet  had  been  slain,  though  by 
whom  we  are  not  told.     Thus  far  the   people  had 


I06  f)N    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

fled  before  them  in  a  panic.  The  party,  there- 
fore, came  to  a  halt  here,  sending  two  of  their 
Indians  after  the  inhabitants  to  quiet  their  fears, 
as  following  them  about  in  this  manner  was  worse 
than  idle. 

These  two  Indians  soon  fell  in  with  a  parcel  of 
squaws,  left  in  charge  of  some  ripe  corn,  hurriedly 
brought  here  to  prevent  its  falling  into  the  white 
men's  hands,  and  poured  in  heaps  upon  the 
ground.       In  some  places  the  timid     people  had 

even  pulled  down  their  wigwams,  show- 
Run'^Away.      '"S  ^^^"^^  they  uiust  havc  been  watching 

the  white  men's  every  motion.  Very 
likely,  too,  they  had  heard  of  the  way  their  neigh- 
bors had  been  served  at  Namasket.  But  were 
they  not  brave  men  to  run  away,  and  leave  their 
women  to   protect  their  corn? 

Seeing  by  the  white  men's  looks  and  actions 
that  they  meant  no  harm,  the  women  took  heart 
again.  It  would  not  be  surprising  if  the  unwel- 
come visitors  should  even  have  thrown  themselves 
flat  on  the  ground,  and  gone  to  fanning  themselves 
with  their  broad-rimmed  hats,  as  other  men  do 
after  a  hot  and   tiresome   march. 


A    VOVACJE   TO    MASSACHUSETTS  lO/ 

By  and  by  one  of  tlic  Indian  men  ventured 
back,  though  he  shook  with  fright  from  head  to 
foot.  But  he,  too.  grew  bolder  when  told  what 
the  white  men  came  for.  As  they  could  not 
make  out  from  him  where  his  queen  then  was, 
the  purpose  to  see  and  make  peace  with  her 
was  frustrated   for  the  time  being. 

Squanto  now  showed  his  Indian  nature  to  the 
life.  He  wanted  his  white  companions  to  rob 
these  defenceless  creatures  of  their  furs,  because, 
as  he  declared,  they  were  a  bad  people  who  had 
often  threatened  the  whites.  To  their  honor,  the 
white  men  would  not  hear  of  it,  and  they  gave 
Squanto  a  sharp  scolding  for  proposing  such  a 
thing  to  them. 

The  day  being  far  spent,  the  party  now  marched 
back  to  their  shallop,  many  of  the  Indian  women 
trooping  after,  all  eagerness  to  trade  off  their  furs 
for  such  things  as  the  white  men  had  brought  with 
them.  They  would  even  sell  the  beaver  coats  off 
their  backs.  Quite  a  parcel  of  skins  was  got  in 
this  way,  the  white  men  promising  to  come  again, 
and  the  squaws  agreeing  to  keep  their  furs  for 
them. 


lOS  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

With  this  understanding  the  white  traders  were 
more  than  content,  because,  even  so  long  ago, 
they  knew  that  if  once  the  women-folk  should  set 
about  looking  for  bargains,  business  would  be 
brisk  there. 

This  little  speck  of  a  shallop  was  the  only  thing 
made  by  Christian  hands,  floating  that  day  on  the 
broad  waters  of  Boston  bay.  And  when  the  bright 
moon  rose  out  of  the  sea,  to  guide  the  travellers 
homeward,  it  shone  upon  the  cradle  of  a  great  city 
yet  to  be. 

The  explorers  warmly  praised  the  country  they 
had  been  to  see,  and  much  regretted  that  the  colony 
had  not  settled  there.  But  it  was  not  given  them 
to  know  that  a  still  greater  colony  would  soon 
occupy  the   land  the}'  coveted. 

'  This  is  supposed  to  be  Squaw  rock,  at  Squantum. 


I1AR\1-:ST    HOME  IO<J 


XII 


IIARNEST    HOME 


Tr  was  now  ihe  harvest  season,  when  bountiful 
Nature  rests  from  her  labors.  Pier  work  was  clone. 
Not  so  with  the  colonists.  Every  man  and  boy 
must  now  to  the  field  with  the  rising  sun,  until  the 
precious  crop  should  be  safely  garnered  for  the 
winter. 

As  all  the  men-folk  went  to  work  in  a  body,  there 
must,  we  think,  ha\e  been  some  known  signal  to 
bring  all  together,  such  as  the  winding  of  a  horn 
or  the  tap  of  a  drum.  Xobodx'  was  allowed  to 
shirk.  The  governor  himself  led  the  wa\'  and  led 
the  work. 

Being  now  once  more  all  in  health  and  strength, 
the  work  of  reaping,  binding,  and  carrying  to  the 
granary  went  cheerih"  on,  until  the  welcome  call  to 
dinner  was  heard.  Nor  had  the  women-folk  been 
idle  all  this  time.  And  as  with  sharpened  appetites 
bread    and   meat  quickly    disappeared   before    the 


I  lO 


ON    I'LYMOUTII    ROCK 


hungry  ones,  many  a  shrewd  guess  would  be  made 
of  the  size  of  the  yield,  or  of  what  their  friends  over 
the  sea  would  say  if  they  could  look  into  little 
Plymouth  then,  itself  but  a  seed  dropped  in  wil- 
derness  ground,   at  that  happy   moment. 


Spreading  Himself  for  Thanksijiving. 


Of  course  there  were  drones  among  them,  who, 
while  shirking  work  in  the  field,  would  be  con- 
stantly looking  up  at  the  sun  to  see  how  soon  it 
would  be  dinner-time  ;  but  drones  there  are  in  every 
hive,  great  or  small,  who  indolently  sip  the  honey 
brought  to   it  by  the  willing  workers.      When   one 


HAR\EST    HOME  I  I  I 

of  these  human  drones  was  caught  idhng  away  the 
time,  a  task  would  be  set  for  him,  with  the  warning 
that  if  it  was  not  done,  perhaps  a  whipping  might 
do  him  good. 

The  harvest  over,  the  men-folk  began  fitting  up 
their  rude  cabins  better  against  the  winter.  With 
the  autumn,  multitudes  of  wild  ducks,  geese,  and 
brant  swarmed  in  the  woods  and  waters  about 
them.  Four  men  were  chosen  to  go  out  fowling, 
who,  in  one  day,  brought  home  enough  to  feed 
the  whole  company  for  a  week.  Beside::. 
A  Season  of     water  fowl,  wild  turkevs,  partridges,  and 

Plenty.  .        r  t>       ' 

deer  were  taken  in  great  plenty  ;  and 
either  cornmeal  or  Indian  corn  was  now  regu- 
larly served  out  to  each  family,  so  that  those  who 
so  lately  had  seen  want  staring  them  in  the  face 
were  now  feasting  upon  the  very  fat  of  the 
land. 

In  this  happy  season  time  was  found  for 
recreation  also.  Among  other  ways  the  men- 
folk turned  out  for  military  drill,  as  their  prudent 
little  captain  would  not  let  them  neglect  that. 
And  Massasoit  came  again,  with  a  train  of  ninet\- 
men,  whom  the   colonists  entertained   and  feasted 


I  12 


ON    PLV.MOUTIl    ROCK 


for  three  whole  days  together ;  and  the  Indian 
hunters  brought  in  five  deer,  as  their  contribution 
to  the  general   festival   time. 


What  the  Hunters  Brought  In. 


This  has  been  called  the  first  Thanksgiving, 
the  real  beginning  of  all  observance  of  this  time- 
honored    harvest  festival.      That    there  was   much 


HARVEST    HOME  I  I  3 

bakinL,s   boiling,    and    stewing  going  on,  in  those 

seven  little  houses,  at  this  time,  we  may 

First  Thanks-  ^^.^jj    believc.     And    if   the  women-folk 

givmg. 

were  not  beside  themselves  with  pluck- 
ing fowls,  turning  the  spit,  or  spreading  the  tables 
for  so  many  hungry  mouths,  then  we  are  much 
mistaken. 

Does  not  this  first  real  happy  event,  which  had 
come  as  a  reward  to  their  labors,  teach  us  that 
these  colonists  were  by  no  means  the  sour, 
crabbed,  pleasure-hating  folk  that  some  would 
have  us  believe?  But  their  trials  were  not  over 
with  yet. 

A  still  more  important  event  fell  out  at  this 
time.  One  day  word  was  brought  to  Plymouth, 
by  some  of  the  Cape  Indians,  that  a  big  ship  had 
put  into  the  same  harbor  in  which  the  "May- 
flower" had  first  cast  anchor,  just  a  twelvemonth 
before. 

A  ship !  How  that  word  must  have  thrilled 
the  hearts  of  every  man,  woman,  and  child  in  that 
lonely  place  !  What  an  excitement  it  must  have 
caused,  as  it  quickly  flew  from  mouth  to  mouth  ! 
A  ship!      "Now,   God  be   praised,  we  shall  have 


114  <^N    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

news  from  home  !  "  If  they  did  not  say  so  aloud, 
the  thought  must  have  looked  out  of  many  a 
moistened  eye;  and  many  a  gentle  goodwife,  too, 
may  have  let  the  bread  burn  in  the  oven,  while 
she  stood  gazing  out  at  her  window  upon  the 
hopeful  sea. 

But  very  soon  the  first  excitement  cooled  off. 
No  ship  was  expected.  Who,  then,  could  the 
stranger  be?  Perhaps  it  might  be  a  Frenchman, 
and  if  so,  they  had  best  stand  upon  their  guard, 
until  it  should  be  known  whether  she  came  as  a 
friend  or  foe.  So  a  big  gun  was  fired  from  the 
hill-top  to  bring  home  all  who  might  chance  to  be 
abroad ;  for  should  there  really  be  an  attack, 
every  man  would  be  needed  to  defend  the 
town. 

Fancy  the  Sabbath-like  stillness  of  a  fair  au- 
tumn day  suddenly  broken  by  this  warning  peal ! 
Imagine  it  rolling  sullenly  out  over  the  quiet 
waters  of  the  bay,  and  echoing  back  among  the 
silent  hills  !     Boom  !   Boom  ! 

Soon  the  loud  summons  brought  all  the  scat- 
tered townsfolk  together.  We  can  almost  hear  the 
eager  questions  and   short  replies  passing  to  and 


HARVEST    HOME  I  I  5 

fro,  while  the  speakers  dart  little  impatient  glances 
across  the  water,  as  if  to  clear  up  the  mystery  in 
that  wa\'.  W'e  can  almost  hear  the  hurried  dia- 
logues taking  place  in  the  cabins,  such  as: 
"  Mercy  me  !  what's  the  matter?"  and  the  short 
answer,  "  Goodwife,  my  corselet;  goodwife,  my 
sword  ! 

Soon  every  man,  }-es.  and   every  boy  too  who 

could   handle  a  musket,  was  ready  to  resist  to  the 

death,   if  what  they   feared   came  true. 

The  But  their  fears  proved  groundless.    The 

"  Fortune  " 

Sails  In.  ship    Came    in.     It    was  the  good  ship 

"  Fortune."  bringing  thirty-five  persons 
to  join   them. 

Then,  indeed,  there  was  rejoicing.  And  when 
these  newcomers  had  landed,  and  found  every 
house  supplied  with  food  in  plenty,  the\'  too  were 
all  gladness;  for  truh' their  hearls  had  sunk  within 
them  at  the  sight  of  that  drear)-,  desolate,  sandy 
cape. 

Most  of  this  compan}'  were  wild  young  fellows, 
who  cared  little  enough  where  they  went,  until 
their  eyes  saw  that  gray  old  wilderness,  stretching 
its    two    lean    and    witlicrcd    arms    around    them. 


Il6  ON    TLYMOUTII    ROCK 

and  then  they  said  to  themselves,  "  What  if  our 
friends  are  all  dead?  What  if  they  should  have 
been  cut  off  by  the  Indians?  What  will  become 
of  us?  " 

All  this  they  told  their  friends,  and  more.  They 
said  that  rather  than  be  put  on  shore  there,  as  the 
sailors  cruelly  said  they  would  be,  they  had  made 
up  their  minds  to  take  the  sails  off  the  ship,  so 
that  she  could  not  leave  them  to  perish.  But  the 
captain,  honest  fellow,  told  them  that  if  anything 
had  happened  to  their  friends  here,  he  would 
surely  carry  them  to  Virginia ;  which  promise  of 
his  set  things  right  again  between  them. 

The  old  colonists  were  secretly  much  troubled, 

however,    by    this    unexpected    addition    to    their 

numbers.      And  it  would  be  hard  to    say  whether 

they  were  more  glad  or  sorry,  when  it  turned  out 

that  their  friends  had  brought  not  even 

More  Mouths  ,  r     ,^       • 

than  Food.  ^  P*^^  ^^  ^  P^'"'  o*  their  owu,  or  any 
thing  but  the  clothes  they  stood  in ; 
and  as  some  of  the  reckless  ones  had  even 
sold  the  coats  off  their  backs  before  sailing,  they 
were  but  scantily  clad  for  a  cold  New  England 
winter. 


HARVEST    HOME  I  1/ 

Speaking  in  all  soberness,  these  recruits  were 
quite  like  those  sent  to  a  beleaguered  fortress,  in 
which  there  is  barely  food  enough  to  feed  the 
mouths  already  there.  For  present  wants  it  is  true 
that  the  colony  had  enough  and  to  spare,  but 
people  who  have  been  nearly  starved  once  are 
apt  reckoners  of  the  quantity  of  food  it  takes  to 
keep  the  wolf  from  the  door.  The\-  know  to  a 
spoonful. 

So  we  may  safely  sa\-  that,  while  the  first- 
comers  were  glad  of  this  addition  to  their  strength, 
they  also  feared  it  might  add  to  their  weakness. 
Worse  still,  they  did  not  think  that  some  of  the 
rude  young  fellows  would  turn  out  well  in  the 
end.  Yet  these  things  could  not  be  helped 
then. 

B\'    this    ship    the    governor    received    a   letter, 

sharpl}'  scolding  the  colonists  for  not  sending  back 

some  freight  in  the  "  Ma}'flower."     The}'  now  began 

to  see  that  an  importunate  creditor  ma}-  be  more 

cruel,  even,  than  savages.      It  was  hard 

Fault-finding.  ,        ■    ,       i    -r  i  i 

to  be  thus  taxed  with  shiitlessness,  when 
so  much  had  been  endured  in  the  bare  effort  to 
keep  body  and  soul  together.     This  ship,  however, 


Il8  ON'    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

was   not  sent  back  empty.      In  a  few  weeks'   time 
she  was  full  loaded  with  hand-made  clap- 

shippfd.  boards,  besides  two  hogsheads  of  beaver 

and  otter  skins  got  in  trading  with  the 

Indians ;    and    as    the   ship  did   not  have  victuals 

enough  to  take  her  home,  she  was  also   furnished 

with  corn  of  their  own  growing. 
And  this  ends  the  story  of  a  year. 


MORE    COLONISTS    ARRIVE  I  1 9 


XIII 

MORE    COLONISTS    ARRIVE 

The  '•  Fortune's  "  passengers  were  soon  settled 
in  their  new  home,  as  comfortably  as  the  limited 
amount  of  house-room  would  admit  of.      Like  the 

old  colonists,  they  also  were  divided  up 
Colonists         '"'^^  families.      Immediateh-  upon  their 

landing  a  little  boy  baby  had  first  opened 
his  wondering  eyes  upon  this  strange  scene  ;  so  that 
his  young  life  began  with  an  event  firmly  fixed  in 
the  memory  of  his  mother,  Good  wife  Ford. 

To  people  thus  thrown  together  in  a  strange  land, 
no  ceremonious  introductions  would  be  necessary. 
They  met  as  old  friends.  Perhaps  some  of  the  new- 
comers felt  disappointed  when  they  saw  how  raw  and 
mean  everything  looked  ;    but  if  so  they  kept  their 

thoughts  to  themselves.  One  man  onl\- 
Letter^  has  let  US  iuto  his  confidence.      It  was 

William  Hilton,  who  seems  to  have  got 
hold  of  the  true  animating  spirit  of  his  new-made 


I20  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

friends.  In  a  letter  which  he  wrote  home  at  this 
time,  he  speaks  of  them  in  words  of  warm  praise. 
"  Our  company,"  he  says,  "  are,  for  the  most  part, 
very  rehgious,  honest  people ;  the  word  of  God  is 
sincerely  taught  us  every  Sabbath  ;  so  that  I  know 
r.ot  anything  a  contented  mind  can  want  here." 

As  the  supply  of  food  on  hand  must  be  care- 
fully husbanded,  a  strict  account  was  now  taken 
of  what  they  had  in  store.  It  was  found  that  it 
could  only  be  made  to  last  till  spring,  even  by 
putting  each  family  on  half  the  usual  allowance. 
The  wild  water  fowl  had  gone,  the  land  birds  mi- 
grated, and  the  food  fishes  gone  off  to 
Allowance.  wamicr  climcs  with  them.  It  is  true 
that  they  could  delve  about  the  shores 
for  clams  or  mussels,  or  dig  eels  out  of  their 
brook;  but  this,  it  must  be  admitted,  was,  at  best, 
very  uncertain  living.  Yet  it  was  the  only  way 
of  eking  out  the  homely  every-day  meal  of  corn 
meal,  boiled  into  hasty  pudding  or  baked  into  a 
coarse  bread   on  the  embers. 

Now  while  busy  about  their  household  chores 
something  happened  to  disturb  them  greatly. 
One  day  a  strange   Indian,  daubed   and  feathered 


MORE    COLONISTS    ARRIVE  121 

in    savage    fashion,   stalked    in    among  them,   un- 
bidden  and   unannounced.       With   him   came   one 

of  Massasoit's  men,  and  in  his  hand  he 
Token!^  Carried  a  bundle  of  arrows  wrapped  up 

in  a  rattlesnake's  skin.  He  asked  for 
Squanto,  but  Squanto  was  not  there  to  talk  with 
him,  so  that  what  he  wanted,  or  why  he  came, 
nobody  could  tell.  All  they  could  well  make  out 
was,  that  he  had  brought  a  message  of  some  sort 
for  them  ;  and  though  plain!)-  ill  at  ease  among  so 
many  stern-looking  men,  he  was  too  proud  to 
show  it.  When  offered  food  he  would  not  touch 
it.  This  made  it  plain  that  he  did  not  come  there 
as  a  friend  ;  for  a  friend  would  never  have  refused 
to  break  bread  with  them.  Besides,  as  soon  as  he 
learned  that  Squanto  was  absent,  he  flung  down 
his  arrows  and  started  to  leave  without  more  cere- 
mony. 

But  the  chief  men  had  no  idea  of  letting  this 
proud  fellow  go  away  before  they  should  have 
learned  his  errand,  for  as  yet  they  were  little 
skilled  in  Indian  customs.  So  Captain  Standish 
was  given  charge  o\er  him  until  Squanto's 
return. 


122  OM    Pl.VMOUTH    ROCK 

As  soon  as  Squanto  saw  the  arrows  he  said  that  it 
was  a  challenge  to  fight,  from  the  great  Canonicus. 
This  made  the  colonists  thoughtful,  as 
Defied!'^"^  all  kncw  the  Narragansetts  numbered 
a  great  many  warriors.  Yet  it  would 
never  do  to  show  fear.  \(  they  should,  all  other 
Indians  would  soon  fall  away  from  them.  So  the 
snake-skin  was  sent  back  filled  with  powder  and 
ball — symbol  for  symbol,   defiance  for  defiance. 

When  his  defiance  was  thus  thrown  back  in 
his  face,  the  proud  Canonicus  was  both  hum- 
bled and  enraged.  It  was  indeed  a  bold  thing  for 
a  mere  handful  of  white  men  thus  to  beard  him. 
He  would  not  touch  the  snake-skin,  for  fear  some 
direful  charm  lay  hidden  in  it.  Though  dumb,  the 
warlike  token  said  as  plainly  as  if  it  had  spoken, 
"You  sent  us  arrows,  and  we  return  you  powder 
and  ball.     Now  come  on  !  " 

No  doubt  Canonicus  had  heard  terrible  stories 
about  the  white  man's  deadly  powder  —  how,  with 
a  flash  of  fire,  it  could  strike  the  bounding  deer 
dead,  or  bring  down  the  soaring  eagle  in  an 
instant.  So  he  hastened  to  pack  off  the  loathed 
thing,  back  to  whence  it  came ;    and   it  was  passed 


MORE   COLONISTS    ARRIVE  I  23 

on  from  hand  to  hand,  no  one  daring  to  keep  it 
long,   until  back  it  came  to   Plymouth. 

Then  we  think  it  was  the  colonists'  turn  to  laugh 
at  Canonicus.  and  laugh  they  did,  there  is  no 
doubt.  Yet  all  felt  how  unwise  it  would  be  not  to 
take  warning  in  season,  as  their  village  still  lay 
quite  open  to  attack.  They  therefore  went  dili- 
gently to  work  enclosing  it  within  a  stout  paling, 
in  which  there  were  three  gates  for 
Ma^°strong.  P^ssing  in  and  out,  and  four  flankers 
on  the  outside,  to  be  manned,  in  case  of 
an  alarm,  b\'  musketeers.  In  a  regular  fortifica- 
tion, these  flankers  would  be  called  bastions;  but 
this  was  only  a  rude  imitation  of  one,  yet  a  strong 
defence  enough  against  Indians. 

This  labor  kept  the  colonists  busy  until  the 
beginning  of  March,  and  when  completed  they 
could  lie  down  to  sleep  in  peace  and  quiet  once 
more;  for  at  night  the  gates  were  barred,  and  a 
watch  set  to  guard  against  surprise.  All  the  men 
were  divided  into  four  companies,  each 
_^"  °  having  its  own  part   of  the  stockade  to 

Defence.  &  1 

defend  ;  so  that  in  case  of  an  alarm  every 
one   would   know  his  place  and  keep   it.      Guards 


124  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

were  also  appointed,  who,  in  case  a  fire  brok-e  out, 
had  orders  to  surround  the  burning  house,  and 
stand  ready  to  protect  those  engaged  in  putting 
the  fire  out,  much  as  our  pohcemen  do  to-day. 
It  was  thought  not  improbable  that  some  lurking 
savage  might  set  a  fire  on  purpose  to  create  a 
confiision,  during  which  he  might  let  in  his  com- 
panions and  begin  a  general  massacre.  But  the 
colonists  meant  to   be  ready  for  everything. 

From  this  time  onward  we  are  to  think  of  Ply- 
mouth as  a  fortified  village.  It  was  too  bad  that 
the  "  Fortune's "  men  should  have  brought  no 
arms  with  them,  as  the  Indians,  who  came  and 
went,  knew  to  a  gun  just  how  many  muskets  were 
in  the  place;  but,  at  any  rate,  the  men  without 
arms  could  relieve  those  who  had  them  from 
other  duties,   if  nothing  more. 

Although  this  speck  of  war  came  to  naught,  it 
sowed  a  distrust,  between  Indians  and  whites,  hard 
to  remove.  And,  though  breathing  nothing  but 
threats,  the  Narragansetts  still  held  back  from  at- 
tempting to  execute  them. 

In  another  place  it  was  said  that  the  old  colo- 
nists, or  those  who  had  belonged  to  the   Leyden 


MORE   COLONISTS   ARRIVE  125 

church,  treated  Christmas  just  as  they  would  any 
other  day  of  the  week.  Tlie\'  knew  of  no  war- 
rant for  making  it  a  holy  day,  still  less  for  turning 
it  into  an  occasion  for  mcrrv-making  on  that  ac- 
count. 

On  this  last  Christmas  day,  when  the  people 
were  called  out  to  work  as  usual,  most  of  the 
"Fortune's"'  men  objected  that  it  went  against 
their  consciences  to  work  on  that  time-honored 
holiday.  So  the  governor  excused  them.  But 
when  the  rest  of  the  people  came  home  froni 
work  at  noon,  lo  and  behold  I  the  conscientious 
ones,  who  could  not  work  because  it  was  wicked, 
were  found  at  play  in  the  street,  pitching  the  bar, 
playing  at  stool-ball  and  other  outdoor  sports, 
quite  unconcerned.  Seeing  what  they  were  about, 
the  governor  went  to  them  and  took  awa\'  their 
playthings,'  telling  them  that  it  went  against  his 
conscience  that  the\'  should  play  while  others 
worked.  If  they  made  the  day  one  of  devotion, 
well  and  good ;  they  should  then  sta)'  indoors ; 
but  there  must  be  no  gaming  or  revelling  in  the 
streets.      And  there  was  none. 


126  ON    I'LVMOUTH    ROCK 


XIV 


A    SNAKE    IX    THE    GRASS 


We  remember  that  when  the  exploring   party 

left   Massachusetts  in   the  autumn    they  promised 

to   come  back  in  the  spring.      It  being 

March,  1622. 

now  March,  the  people  began  to  get 
ready  for  that  voyage.  But,  as  if  to  spoil  all, 
Hobomock,  who  lived  with  them  still,  began  to 
raise  strange  objections,  saying  he  feared  that  the 
Massachusetts  weie  leagued  with  the  Narragan- 
setts ;  and,  if  so,  it  would  not  be  safe  to  go 
there. 

Hobomock  also  urged  that  if  so  many  stout  men 
were  to  go  away,  the  Xarragansetts  would  surely 
seize  the  chance  to  fall  upon  the  town  while  thus 
weakened ;  but  they  were  still  more  surprised, 
as  well  as  grieved,  at  hearing  that  Squanto,  their 
trusted  Squanto,  was  in  the  plot  against  them.  It 
was  almost  beyond  belief. 

But  Hobomock  stuck  firmly  to  his  story,  and  he 


A    SNAKE    IX    THE    GRASS  12/ 

insisted  tiiat  they  would  inid  it  all  true  if  they  went 
off  on  this  trading  voyage  with  Squanto. 
aTValtor  Then  he  told  them  of  his  having  seen 
Squanto  holding  secret  talks  with  strange 
Indians,  besides  other  suspicious  acts  in  proof  of 
Squanto's   treachery. 

At  hearing  these  things,  told  in  a  straightforward 
way,  the  chief  men  were  much  perplexed  ;  for  if 
Squanto  was  false,  in  whom  could  they  put  trust? 
Had  he  not  as  good  as  saved  all  their  lives  by  his 
readiness  to  help  them  when  they  were  in  danger 
of  starving?  How,  then,  could  this  thing  be  true? 
they  asked  themselves. 

For  all  Hobomock's  suspicions,  it  was  thought 
best  to  go  to  Massachusetts  just  as  if  nothing  had 
happened.  To  do  so  best  suited  their  purpose  to 
show  no  fear  of  the  Indians,  were  they  few  or  many. 
Besides,  they  knew  they  could  not  live  much  longer 
upon  the  little  left  in  the  storehouse,  and  when  that 
was  gone  grim  want  would  be  back  again.  After 
all,  that  was  the  enemy  most  feared. 

So  Standish,  with  ten  more  besides  Hobomock 
and  Squanto,  set  out  in  the  shallop.  They  had 
scarcely    got     out    of    the    harbor    when    one  of 


128  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

Squanto's    family  came    running    to  some    of  the 
white  people,  who  were  abroad,  with  his  face  all 

covered  with  blood,  calling  out  to  them 
^quan  o  s        ^^  ^^^  back  homc  as  quick  as  possible. 

He  kept  looking  back  like  a  man  pur- 
sued, saying  that  many  of  the  Narragansetts, 
besides  their  supposed  friend  Massasoit  and  their 
known  enemy  Corbitant,  were  come  together  at 
Namasket,  with  design  to  fall  upon  the  white  men's 
town  in  the  captain's  absence,  just  as  Hobomock 
had  said  they  would. 

Finding  danger  so  near,  the  governor  ordered 
the  alarm  guns  to  be  fired,  in  order  that  the  cap- 
tain's party  might  know  they  were  wanted  at 
home,  provided  they  were  not  out  of  hearing. 
Fortunately,  they  heard  the  signal  in  time  to  put 
back,  all  getting  ready  for  action  as  they  sailed, 
and  expecting  no  less  than  to  find  the  town  beset, 
even  as  Hobomock  had  predicted. 

But  when  they  heard  what  the  fugitive  Indian 
had  reported,  Hobomock  flatly  declared  it  to  be 
all  false.  He  warmly  defended  Massasoit's  loyalty 
to  the  whites,  and  loudly  scouted  the  ■  idea  of  any 
such  plan  being  on  foot  without  his  knowing  it. 


A    SNAKE    I.\   THE    GRASS  1 29 

The  governor  did  not  know  what  to  think. 
To  make  an  end  of  these  conflicting  stories,  he 
caused  Hobomock  to  send  his  wife  off  to  Pokano- 
ket,  to  find  out  the  truth  of  the  matter.  She  found 
no  sign  of  warHke  movement,  or  of  any  intended. 
But  when  these  rumors  reached  Massasoit's  ears, 
he  was  very  angry  with  Squanto,  and  he  let  the 
governor  know  how  much  it  grieved  him  to  be  so 
wronged  while  keeping  faith  as  he  did. 

Little  by  little,  it  now  leaked  out  that  the  cun- 
ning Squanto  had  contrived  all  this  turmoil  for  his 
own  gain,  not  caring  who  was  the  sufferer,  so  his 
own  ends  were  compassed.  But  this  time  he  had 
overreached  himself.  B\'  pretending  that  he 
could  set  the  whites  upon  them  whenever  he 
liked,  which  they  believed,  Squanto  had  gained 
such  influence  over  the  neighbor  Indians  that 
they  were  only  too  glad  to  buy  his  good-will  with 
large  gifts.  Now  and  then  he  would  tell  them 
that  the  whites  were  coming  to  kill  them,  putting 
them  in  such  fear  that  his  power  was  become  like 
that  of  some  favorite  at  a  king's  court,  whose  nod 
or  frown  makes  all  the  people  tremble. 

In   short,  Squanto  had  become   so    puffed  up  in 


I30  ON    PLYMOUTH    KOCK 

his  own  conceit,  that  he  had  contrived  this  plan 
of  a  false  alarm,  hoping  it  would  lead  the  colonists 
to  march  against  Massasoit,  and  so  break  off  the 
peace  between  them.  Then  Squanto,  and  not 
Massasoit,  would  be  the  great  man  of  all  that 
country,  as  Squanto  thought. 

All  this  had  been  planned  with  the  skill  of  a 
politician,  used  to  make  men  his  dupes ;  and  but 
for  faithful  Hobomock  the  plan  might  have  suc- 
ceeded. 

Much  less  would  have  justified  the  hanging  of 
Squanto  from  the  highest  limb  in  Plymouth,  traitor 
that  he  was.  Yet,  besides  the  debt  of  gratitude 
that  the  colonists  owed  him,  he  was  of  too  much 
use  to  them  to  be  treated  as  he  deserved.  So  he 
was  let  off  with  a  sharp  rebuke,  for  which  he 
probably  cared  not  a  penny.  Care  was  taken, 
however,  to  let  all  the  Indians  know  how  Squanto 
had  deceived  them ;  so  that  where  he  had  lately 
been  courted  he  was  now  scorned. 

But  Massasoit  was  not  so  forgiving.  He  came 
to  Plymouth,  full  of  wrath,  to  seize  Squanto. 
But  the  governor  somehow  managed  to  put  him 
off.       Then     Massasoit    sent    his     messengers    to 


A    SNAKE    IX   THE   GRASS  131 

demand    Squanto    as   his    subject,   whom    he    had 

doomed  to  die  b}'  the  hands  of  these 
Angry^°'         samc  messengers  ;   and  in  token  that  he 

had  so  decreed,  Massasoit  had  sent  his 
own  knife  to  cut  off  Squanto's  head  with. 

Though  unwilHng  to  lose  Squanto,  the  governor 
dared  not  refuse.  To  do  so  would  be  violating  the 
treat}^  with  Massasoit.  So  Squanto  was  brought 
in  ;  yet  not  a  sign  of  fear  did  he  betray,  although 
he  knew  his  executioners  stood  before  him. 

But  before  the  fatal  word  could  be  spoken,  a 
strange  boat  was  seen  crossing  the  harbor.  Alert 
to   every  sign    of  danger,  the   governor   told    the 

Indian  emissaries  he  must  first  know 
Boat"^*"^*        what  that  boat's  errand  was,  before  he 

could  deliver  up  Squanto  into  their 
hands.  Being  mad  with  rage  at  this  answer,  they 
left  in  a  great  pet ;  and  we  may  well  believe  that 
the  governor  was  only  too  glad  of  an  excuse  to  be 
rid  of  them,  although  his  conduct  was  not  agree- 
able to  Indian  justice,  or  to  white  justice  either. 
Probably  the  governor  thought  that  if  he  could 
pardon  Squanto,  Massasoit  could  afford  to  do  so 
too. 


132  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

More  of  Squanto's  villany  came  presently  to 
light.  It  seems  that  to  possess  his  silly  country- 
men with  the  more  fear  of  the  English,  he  told 
them,  very  mysteriously,  that  the  white  men  kept 
the  dreaded  plague  buried  in  their  storehouse,  and 
could  send  it  to  whatever  place  or  people  they 
wished  to  destroy,  without  stirring  a  step  from  the 
town.  He  had  even  made  Hobomock  believe  the 
silly  tale,  until  that  inquisitive  savage  asked  one  of 
the  English  if  it  was  true,  and  then  the  falsehood 
was  exposed. 

This  occurred  at  about  the  end  of  May,  in  the 
year  1622.  By  that  time  the  store  of  provisions 
was  wholly  exhausted,  and  the  people  were  again 
living  from  hand  to  mouth.  Some  idea  may  there- 
fore be  formed  of  the  sensation  which  the  appear- 
ance of  a  strange  sail  caused  among  the  dispirited 
settlers. 


THE  fishermen's  gift 


XV 

THE    fishermen's    GIFT 

The  strange  boat,  to  which  Squanto  thus  owed 
his  life,  proved  to  be  a  shallop  belonging  to  a  fish- 
ing ship  called  the  "  Sparrow,"  which  had  brought 
out  six  or  seven  passengers,  but  no  provisions. 
It  was  learned  that  the  "  Sparrow"  was  fishing  at 
Damariscove  island,  not  far  from  the  place  Samo- 
set  had  told  them  of  before.  To  Damariscove, 
then,  it  was  resolved  to  send  for  a  boat-load  of 
provisions,  and  when  the  "  Sparrow's  "  shallop 
went  back  the  colon}-  boat  went  with  her. 

Of  this  e.Kpedition  Edward  Winslow  took  charge, 
as  the  one,  perhaps,  best  qualified  for  such  a  mis- 
sion, or  for  any  mission  where  a  steady  head  and 
a  brave  heart  were  wanted.  He  met  with  a  true 
sailor's  reception.  Instead  of  taking 
wi^riow.  P^y-  ^^""^  honest  captains  freely  gave  him 
all  they  could  well  spare,  saying  they 
were  only  sorry  it  was  not  more,  and  sending  him 


134 


ON   PLYMOUTH    ROCK 


on  his  way  rejoicing,  as  all  the  company  must  have 
rejoiced  when,  from  the  fort  on  the  hill,  the  long- 
wished-for  sail  came  bounding  over  the  waves  like 


fv.  -^Ay-vt^yd^ 


w 


a   messenger  of  glad   tidings.     We    may    rest  as- 
sured that  that  shallop  was   quickly  unloaded. 

The  supply  came  none  too  soon,  for  the  colo- 
nists were  much  weaker  than  when  Winslow  had 
left    them,   the\'   having    gone    for    the    first    time 


THE   fishermen's    GIFT  1 35 

without  bread  to  eat.  Though  it  was  not  much 
among  so  many,  yet  with  great  care  the  fisher- 
men's gift  was  made  to  last  until  harvest.  But 
had  it  not  been  for  such  shell-fish  as  could  be 
taken  from  the  sands  and  shores,  they  plainly  saw 
they  must  have  perished. 

But  how  could  this  be  so,  when  on  both  land 
and  sea  there  was  such  a  great  abundance  of 
birds  and  fishes?  Where  were  the  hunters? 
What  had  become  of  the  fishermen?  There 
were  the  guns  all  ready  —  why  did  the}-  not  use 
them  ?  And  the  boat  and  fishing  tackle  —  why 
not  go  off  to  the  fishing  grounds,  instead  of 
going  hungry? 

Alas  !  the  land  birds  had  all  flown  away  in  the 
autumn,  and  the  last  of  the  sea  birds  winged  their 
way  southward  in  ?^Iarch.  Worse  still,  for  want  of 
proper  care,  their  lines  and  seines  were  found  to 
be  rotten  when  most  needed ;  so  that  fish  could 
not  be  taken,  even  if  the  sea  had  been  swarming 
with  them.  Thus  we  see  that  the  earl}-  months 
of  spring  were  their  season  of  pinching  want. 

And  now,  with  the  gaunt  and  hungry  wolf  at 
the  door,  as  men  say  when  famine  threatens  them, 


136 


ON   PLYMOUTH    ROCK 


comes  again  the  human  wolf,  the  hirking  savage, 
with  stealthy  step  and  murderous  purpose,  seek- 
ing to  destroy  them,  mocking  them,  and  giving 
out  how  easy  it  would  soon   be  to  cut  them  off. 


The  Graves  of  Burial   Hill  (on  tli<;  "Mount,"  as  first  called). 


Even  Massasoit  held  aloof  from  them,  neither 
coming  nor  sending  to  them  as  of  old.  So  which- 
ever way  they  looked,  the  downcast  colonists 
seemed  to  have   not  one  friend  left. 

Yes,  one  they  had,  and  in  Him  they  put  their 
trust,  for  well  they  knew  that  He  would   not  for- 


THE   fishermen's   GIFT  I  37 

sake  them ;  and  though  the  cowardly  savages 
might  loudly  threaten,  the\'  knew  that  many  of 
them  would  bite  the  dust,  should  they  dare  to 
strike  the  first  blow. 

To  show  that  they  did  not  mean  to  be  frightened 
away,  the  colonists  now  began  building  a  timber 
fort  on  the  Mount,  as  the  hill  abox'e  them  was 
commonly  called.  In  this  fort,  even  a  few  men 
might  easily  keep  a  host  of  Indians  at  bay.  So 
everyone  went  willingly  to  work  upon  it,  although 
it  took  them  away  from  their  planting  and  hoeing 
much  of  the  time. 

As  this  was  much  the  greatest  piece  of  work 
that  the  colonists  had  yet  done,  we  cannot  blame 
them  for  feeling  quite  proud  of  it.  It 
Church.  ^^'^^  ^  square  building  with  a  flat  roof, 

made  of  thick  planks,  like  the  deck  of  a 
ship,  with  raised  bulwarks,  as  also  in  a  ship.  Upon 
this  roof  their  few  light  cannon  were  mounted;  and 
there  the  sentinel  paced  his  round,  keeping  watch 
and  ward  over  the  little  puny  settlement  below. 

We  read  that  the  religious  houses  of  feudal  times 
were  also  strong  fortresses,  as  was  needful  when 
the   strong  preyed   upon   the    weak.      With    like 


138  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

purpose,  these  colonists  now  fitted  up  the  great 
room  of  their  wooden  castle  as  a  meeting-house,  to 
which  they  all  marched  in  grave  procession  every 
Sabbath,  and,  after  holding  their  simple  service  of 
song  and  praise,  returned  home  again  as  they  went. 
Save  the  sick  or  decrepit  ones,  nobody  stayed 
away  from  meeting;  for  this  day  was  wholly  given 
up  to  the  service  of  the  Lord. 


MASTER   WESTON'S    COLONY  1 39 


XVI 

MASTER     WESTON'S    COLONY 

Late  in  June,  or  early  in  July,  two  ships  came 
in  from  England.  They  belonged  to  Mr.  Weston, 
a  London  merchant,  who,  at  first,  had  been  a 
partner  with  the  Plymouth  people,  but  had  left 
them  to  start  a  colony  of  his  own.  These  two 
ships  now  brought  some  sixty  men  to  begin  a 
town  for  him. 

Although  the  Plymouth  people  did  not  half 
like  this  way  of  throwing  so  many  strangers  upon 
them  without  leave  or  license,  they  were 
Me^n.°"^  treated  with  all  kindness.  House-room 
was  furnished  them  ;  the  sick  were  taken 
care  of;  and  the  well  had  nothing  to  do  but  kill 
time,  until  a  place  should  be  found  to  their  liking. 

These  people  stayed  at  Plymouth  all  summer. 
They  were  a  very  mixed  sort  indeed  —  good,  bad, 
and  indifferent.  Pretty  soon  some  of  them  were 
caught  stealing  corn   in  the  cornfields,   and    were 


I40  ON    rLYMOUTII    ROCK 

well  whipped,  as  they  deserved  to  be.  So  the 
Plymouth  people  were  not  to  blame  for  thinking 
some  people's  room  better  than  their  company 
any    day. 

A  place  having  been  found  to  their  minds  in  the 

Massachusetts,  called  by  the   Indians  "  Wessagus- 

cus,"    Weston's    well    men    went    there. 

Settle  at 

Weymouth,  leaving  their  sick  behind.  What  with 
the  trouble  they  had  made  in  one  way 
or  another,  it  was  good  riddance  to  bad  rubbish, 
no  doubt. 

Now  we  think  of  it,  should  this  new  colony  suc- 
ceed, it  would  cut  off  the  Indian  trade,  in  that 
quarter,  from  Plymouth.  To  that  extent,  then,  it 
would  be  setting  up  an  opposition,  and  be  hurtful. 
That  was  one  thing.  On  the  other  hand,  it  would 
also  make  all  the  English  stronger  against  the 
Indians.  Probably  all  the  pros  and  cons  were 
talked  over,  and  turned  over,  at  Plymouth  fire- 
sides. 

When  this  company  had  departed,  it  was  found 
that  the  harvest  would  not  last  another  year. 
Again  the  old  story  was  being  repeated.  Some- 
thing was  always  happening  to  upset  their  calcula- 


MASTER    WESTON  S    COLONY  I4I 

tions.  Besides,  the  things  with  which  they  might 
buy  corn  of  the  Indians  were  all  gone.  Luckily 
a  trading  ship  came  in  just  then,  having  some 
of  the  things  they  most  needed ;  and  though 
the  master  charged  extortionate  prices,  through 
his  means  they  were  once  more  set  upon  their 
feet. 

Corn  was  getting  scarce  at  VVessaguscus  too  ; 
so  Weston's  men  proposed  to  the  Plymouth 
people  to  buy  corn  of  the  Indians,  in  partnership. 
To  this  the  Plymouth  men  agreed.  Weston's 
people  had  a  small  ship  to  range  the  coast  in, 
and  the  Plymouth  people  fitted  out  their  shallop. 
Squanto  was  to  pilot  them  round  Cape  Cod,  to 
places  where  corn  was  said  to  be  both  plenty  and 
cheap. 

After  various  delays  the  party  set  out,  in  Novem- 
ber. When  the  ship  was  among  the  dangerous 
shoals  of  Monomoy,  the  master  got  frightened 
and  put  the  ship  about.  Squanto  then  piloted 
her  through  a  crooked  channel  to  a  safe  anchor- 
age. 

That  night  some  of  the  party  went  on  shore. 
Buying  Corn.   ^^^    ^I'st    the    inhabitants    kept    out  of 


142  ON   PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

sight,  but  by  and  by  they  came  forth  from  their 
hiding  places,  and  made  the  visitors  welcome 
with  venison  and  other  victuals  to  refresh  them. 
Still,  they  were  very  suspicious ;  so  much  so  that 
more  than  once,  while  the  white  men  sta}'ed  there, 
all  of  a  sudden  the  Indians  would  be  gone  bag 
and  baggage. 

Through  Squanto's  means,  eight  hogsheads  of 
corn  and  beans  were  got  here,  which  gave  good 
encouragement  to  proceed  still  further,  Squanto 
still  insisting  that  he  could  take  the  ship  through 
the  dreaded  shoals  in  safety. 

But  poor  Squanto  was  nevermore  to  pilot  ship 
or  shallop,  or  be  the  Englishman's  tongue,  as  he 
had  been.      He  fell  sick  of  a  fever,  of  which  he 
presently  died,  hoping  he  might  go  to 
0^6^"*°  ^^^     Englishman's    heaven,    and    after 

bestowing    his  things  among  his  white 
friends  as  remembrances  of  his  love. 

This  put  an  end  to  the  trading  for  the  present, 
as  no  man  of  the  party  knew  more  than  a  few 
words  of  the  Indian  tongue.  So  Squanto's  loss 
was,  with  much  reason,  greatly  deplored   by  all. 

From  here  the  traders  sailed  back,  with  a  fair 


MASTER   WESTON'S    COLONY  1 43 

wind,  for  Massachusetts,  where  the  savages  had 
planted  much  corn  for  the  Plymouth  people,  by 
request.  But  now  a  great  sickness,  not  unlike  the 
plague,  had  broken  out  among  these  Indians. 
Moreover,  they  came  loudly  complaining  of  the 
new  colony,  seated  b\'  them  ;  saying  they  were 
bad  people,  who  stole  corn,  and  in  other  ways 
abused  them.  Worse  still,  it  was  found  that  the 
new  colonists  had  ruined  all  chances  for  further 
trading  in  that  place,  by  paying  extravagant!}"  for 
everything.  So,  for  once  at  least,  competition 
proved  the  death  of  trade. 

Disappointed  here,  the  party  then  went  to 
Nauset,  where  the  head  man  used  them  very 
kindly,  and  where  they  bought  eight  or  ten  hogs- 
heads more  of  corn  and  beans.  Then  to  Matta- 
chiest   (Barnstable),  with  the  like  success. 

During  the  time  of  the  trading  here,  such  a 
violent  storm  set  in  that  the  ship  was  in  great 
danger  of  being  cast  away,  and  the  shallop  was 
actually  driven  upon  the  shore.  As  there  was 
now  no  means  of  carrying  the  corn  out  to  the 
ship,  the  governor  caused  all  of  it  to  be  heaped 
up  in  one  great  stack,  covered   it  up  with   Indian 


144  <-^^    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

mats,  and  then  put  it  in  the  care  of  an  Indian 
man  of  that  place,  promisini^  him  a'  reward  if  he 
kept  it  safely.  The  shallop  being  found  buried  in 
the  sand,  she  was  turned  over  to  the  sachem  for 
safe  keeping;  after  which  nothing  remained  but  to 
trudge  back  to  Plymouth  on  foot  —  a  good  fifty 
miles  of  swamps,  woods,   and  thickets. 

The  corn  being  fairly  divided  among  them, 
Master  Weston's  company  went  back  to  their  own 
plantation  with  their  share,  it  being  further  agreed 
that  they  should  return  at  once  with  their  carpen- 
ter to  mend  the  stranded  shallop,  and  then  fetch 
away  the  rest  of  the  corn. 

At  their  return  Captain  Standish  took  another 
shallop  and  went  for  the  corn,  which  was  found 
all  safe  as  it  had  been  left.  The  injured  boat  was 
also  got  afloat  again,  but  as  luck  would  have  it, 
another  storm  came  on,  in  the  height  of  which 
both  shallops  had  to  be  cut  adrift  from  the  ship, 
and  were  blown  on  shore,  but  found  again  after 
the  gale  was  over. 

To  go  back  a  little,  while  the  English  were  at 
Nauset  a  thievish  Indian  stole  some  beads  and 
other  trifles  out  of  the   shallop,  when  nobody  was 


MASTER   WESTON'S    COLONY  1 45 

looking  on.  When  the  articles  were  missed 
Standish  went  straight  to  the  sachem  and  sternly- 
told  him,  in  so  many  words,  that  either  the  stolen 
property  must  be  given  up  or  else  there  would 
be  trouble  between  them.  With  that  he  left 
him. 

On  the  very  next  day  the  sachem  came,  with  a 
great  train,  to  the  spot  where  the  Englishmen 
made  their  camp.  Approaching  the  fiery  little 
captain  in  a  fawning  manner,  the  sachem  first 
shook  hands  as  the  English  did,  then  thrusting 
out  his  tongue  as  far  as  he  could,  and  bending: 
low,  he  licked  and  slavered  the  wondering  cap- 
tain's hand  all  o\-er  like  a  whipped  spaniel.  All 
the  rest  of  the  sachem's  men  followed  suit,  though 
in  so  rude  and  awkward  a  fashion  that  the  white 
men  could   hardlx*  keep  from  laughing  outright. 

After  thus  showing  their  entire  submission  to 
the  captain's  will,  the  stolen  articles  were  de- 
livered up  to  him,  with  the  assurance  that  the 
thief  had  been  soundly  beaten  for  his  wrong- 
doing. The  sachem  then  caused  his  women  to 
bake  bread  and  bring  it  to  the  Englishmen,  in 
token  of  his  joy  at  being  friends  again. 


146  ON   PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

By  acting  just  as  he  did,  Standish  won  the 
respect  of  the  Indians,  who,  in  general,  seemed 
to  think  less  of  stealing  than  of  being  found 
out. 

More  corn  was  bought  at  Namasket,  and  still 
more  at  Manomet,  some  of  which  was  brought 
all  the  way  to  Plymouth  in  baskets  by  the  Indian 
women,  and  some  by  the  colonists  themselves. 
In  this  way  they  became  acquainted  with  a  short 
cut  overland,  from  their  own  bay,  into  what  is  now 
known  as  Buzzard's  bay. 

Not  long  after  this,  Standish  went  again  to  Mat- 
tachiest  for  corn.  The  weather  was  now  grown 
so  cold  that  the  shallop  was  frozen  up  in  the  har- 
bor on  the  same  night  she  entered  it.  The  In- 
dians here  appeared  friendly,  and  brought  in  their 
corn  freely;  yet  only  with  a  secret  purpose  to  kill 
the  English,  after  throwing  them  off  their  guard. 
But  through  the  sleepless  vigilance  of  Standish 
that  plan  fell  through. 

In  the  month  of  March  Standish  went  again 
to  Manomet.  The  name  of  the  sachem  of  this 
place  was  Canacum.  Standish  had  been  only 
a     little      while     in     Canacum's      cabin     when     in 


MASTER    WESTON'S    COLONY  1 47 

Stalked  two    stout    Massachusetts    warriors.     One 

was  Wituwamat,  a  hardened  wretch, 
the  English.     ^^°  opcnly  boastcd  of  having  dipped 

his  hands  in  the  blood  of  both  EngHsh 
and  French  people,  and  who  would  hugely  enjoy 
telling  how  his  victims  had  died  crying  and  mak- 
ing sour  faces,  more  like  children  than  like. men, 
he  said. 

Wituwamat  took  from  about  his  neck  a  dag- 
ger, which  he  had  got  from  Mr.  Weston's  people, 

and  handed  it  to  Canacum,  with  a 
the  B^^aggln.  ^^^S  spccch,  the  meaning  of  which  the 

Englishmen  could  not  well  make  out, 
although  they  had  their  suspicions.  For  Wituwa- 
mat was  cunning,  and  he  had  the  art  to  hide  his 
purpu.'^e  from  them,  although  to  Canacum  the 
meaning  was  clear. 

Later  on,  they  found  out  what  he  came  for. 
Wituwamat's  tribe  felt  themselves  strong  enough 
to  destroy  Weston's  colony  alone,  but  were  afraid 
to  begin,  unless  the  other  tribes  around  them 
would  agree  to  fall  upon  the  Plymouth  people 
too,  whom  they  justly  feared  would  quickly  re- 
venge   the    death    of  Weston's    men    upon    their 


148  ON    I'LVMOUTII    ROCK 

murderers.  In  short,  a  general  rising  against 
the  handful  of  Englishmen  was  being  actively, 
though  secretly,  urged,  throughout  Massasoit's 
dominions. 


A   GOOD    DEED   NEVER    LNREWARDED        1 49 


XVIT 

A  GOOD  DEED  NEVER  GOES  UNREWARDED 

While  Standish  was  gone  to  Manomet,  as  just 

related,  news  came  to  Plymouth  that  Massasoit  lay 

on  his  death-bed.     It  was  also  said  that 

Fa^uVick.       ^  Dutch  ship  lay  stranded  right  before 

Massasoit's  dwelling-place. 

The  colonists,  therefore,  felt  that  it  would  be 
no  more  than  right  for  some  of  them  to  go  to 
Massasoit.  to  proffer  help  if  he  was  still  living,  or 
friendly  sympathy  should  he  be  dead. 

But  besides  this,  they  had  strong  reasons  for 
wishing  to  get  acquainted  with  the  Dutch  people, 
who  were  known  to  be  beginning  a  settlement  at 
Manhattan,  and  of  whom  the  Indians  had  often 
spoken.    This  was  having  two  strings  to  their  bow. 

Xow,  because  Edward  Winslow  had  once  before 
been  to  Pokanoket,  and  could  speak  some  Dutch 
besides,  he  was  chosen  as  the  most  fit  man  to  send 
on  this  double  errand ;    and  after  having  provided 


I50  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

himself  with  some  cordials  for   the  sick  man,  he 
took  for  a  companion  one  John  Hamp- 

Winslow  Goes  i  •   i  i 

to  Him.  den,    and,    with    the    trusty    Hobomock 

for  a  guide,  set  out  for  Pokanoket 
without    delay. 

Upon  reaching  Corbitant's  country,  the  party 
heard  that  Massasoit  was  dead  and  buried,  and, 
further,  that  the  Dutch  vessel  had  been  hove  off 
the  ground  unharmed,  and  would  be  gone  before 
they  could  get  there. 

At  this  news  the  travellers  were  in  doubt 
whether  to  go  on  or  return  to  Plymouth.  Hobo- 
mock said,   decidedly,   return. 

But  after  having  come  so  far,  VVinslow  decided 
to  finish  the  journey,  thinking  it  would  show  their 
good-will,  if  nothing  more.      So  they  went  on. 

As  they  went  along,  poor,  faithful  Hobomock 
would  every  now  and  then  break  out  into  wild 
lamenting  for  his  dead  and  gone  master.  "  Oh, 
my  loving  sachem  !  my  loving  sachem  !  "  he  would 
sorrowfully  cry.  "  Many  have  I  known, 
Hobomock's    bi^jj-    never   one    like   thee !  "     Then    he 

Sorrow. 

would  tell  Winslow  that  he  would  never 
see    Massasoit's    like  again    among    the   Indians; 


A  GOOD  DEED  NEVER  UNREWARDED 


I^I 


"  for,"  said  Hobomock,  "  my  sachem  was  no  liar, 
nor  blood\-  or  cruel,  like  other  Indians."  Indeed, 
the  poor  fellow's  grief  was  so  violent  that  the  two 
white   men  were   themselves  much  moved   by  it. 


A  Street  in  Plymouth. 


It  was  after  dark  when  the  messengers  drew 
near  to  Pokanoket.  To  their  great  joy,  Massasoit 
was  still  alive.  The  Dutchmen  had  sailed  awa)- 
on  that  ver\-  afternoon. 

Upon  going  into  the  place  where  the  dying 
chieftain    lav,  it  was  found   so  crowded  with  his 


152  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

men  that  the  messengers  could  scarce  squeeze 
through  the  throng.  A  hideous  uproar  of  many 
voices  told  them  that  the  medicine-men  were 
striving  to  charm  away  the  disease,  as 
^e^icine  .^  .^  were  something  that  would  yield 
to  sweatings,  howlings,  and  contortions 
of  the  body.  Indeed,  so  great  was  the  noise,  so 
fetid  the  air,  as  to  make  the  visitors  themselves 
feel  sick,  let  alone   the  wretched   Massasoit. 

Squatted  around  his  couch  were  several  women, 
who  constantly  chafed  his  limbs  to  keep  warmth 
in  his  feeble  body.  His  sight  had  already  left 
him,  but  his  hearing  still  remained.  When  told 
that  his  friends,  the  English,  had  come  to  see  him, 
he  feebly  asked  who  was  there.  They  said  to 
him,  it  was  Winslow.  Then  the  dying  man, 
feeling  blindly  for  Winslow's  hand,  which  he  took 
in  his  own,  said  in  a  faint  voice,  "  Keen  Winsnow?  " 
("Art  thou  Winslow?")  To  which  Winslow 
answered,  "  Yes."  Then  the  sick  man  spoke  these 
words:  "Oh,  Winslow,  I  shall  never  see  thee 
again  ! 

Then  Winslow  called  Hobomock  to  him,  and 
bade  him  tell  Massasoit  that  although  the  governor 


A  GOOD  DEED  NEVER  UNREWARDED   I  53 

of  Plymouth  could  not  come  himself,  yet  he  had 
sent  some  things  such  as  the  white  men  made  use 
of  when  sick,  hoping  they  might  do  his  friend  and 
ally  good.  Massasoit  desired  that  they  might  be 
given  to  him. 

All  this  ceremony  was  most  necessary  to  quiet 
the  suspicions  of  those  who  stood  about  the  sick 
man's  bedside,  swallowing  every  word  and  look 
with  eager  attention. 

Winslow  then  went  to  work  upon  his  patient. 
It  was  no  pleasant  task,  but  alas  !  Winslow  had 
seen  too  many  of  his  own  friends  in  the  grasp  of 
death  to  shrink  at  the  sight  before  him  now. 
Taking  a  little  confection  on  the  point  of  his  knife, 
Winslow  gently  forced  it  between  the 
NVork"^^  sachem's  teeth,  for  he  could  not  open 
his  mouth,  through  weakness.  As  the 
sweet  morsel  dissolved  in  his  mouth,  he  swallowed 
it,  and  all  who  stood  about  him  were  much 
rejoiced,  saying  it  was  the  first  thing  he  had 
swallowed   for  two  whole   days. 

Then,  with  gentle  hand,  Winslow  cleansed  the 
sachem's  feverish  tongue  and  mouth,  and  when 
his  sense  of  taste  was  thus  restored,  more  of  the 


154  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

soothing  confection  was  given  him.  Little  by- 
little  the  sachem's  sight  began  to  return,  as 
Winslow  worked  over  him ;  and  by  and  by  his 
appetite  came  back  to  him,  insomuch  that  he 
begged  Winslow  to  make  him  some  broth,  such 
as  the  English  were  in  the  habit  of  giving  to  those 
who  were  sick. 

Winslow  was  nonplussed.  Neither  he  nor 
Hampden  knew  anything  about  cooking.  Yet, 
as  it  was  to  ransom  a  king's  life,  the  two  men  laid 
their  heads  together,  and  with  the  help  of  an 
Indian  woman  they  made  out  to  prepare  a  dish 
of  warm  gruel,  seasoned  with  a  bit  of  sassafras 
root,  which  Winslow  strained  through  his  hand- 
kerchief. When  it  was  given  him,  Massasoit 
drank  off  at  least  a  pint  at  one  draught,  and  said 
it  was  good ;  and  immediately  his  sight  came 
back  more  and   more. 

Being  now  himself  out  of  danger,  Massasoit 
begged  Winslow  to  go  out  among  the  other  sick 
people  of  his  town  and  wash  their  mouths  also  ; 
and  like  a  Good  Samaritan  Winslow  did  so, 
although  the  stench  and  filth  of  the  wigwams  was 
something  dreadful. 


A  GOOD  DEED  NEVER  UNREWARDED   1 55 

So  Winslow  continued  ministering  to  Massa- 
soit's  wants,  and  even  to  his  caprices  ;  for  as  the 
sachem's  appetite  returned  to  him  he  would  have 
Winslow  go  out  and  shoot  ducks  and  geese  to 
make  broth  with,  until,  one  bad  day,  the  greedy 
savage  ate  so  much  that  he  fell  into  a  relapse. 
Winslow  was  greatly  in  fear  that  his  headstrong 
patient  would  surely  die  ;  and  everyone  else  now 
gave  him  up  also,  yet  he  astonished  them  all  by 
getting  well  again. 

Upon  his  full  recover}-,  Massasoit  broke  out  in 
unstinted  praise  of  his  friend  and  savior,  Winslow. 
"Now,"  he  exclaimed  to  those  about  him,  "I  see 
that  the  English  are  m}^  friends  and  love  me,  and 
while  Massasoit  lives  he  will  never  forget  the 
kindness  they  have  showed   him  I  " 

Does  all  this  seem  like  a  trivial  thing?  W^ait 
and  see. 

When  Winslow  was  going  away,  ^Massasoit  took 

Hobomock  aside  and  secretly  made  known  to  him 

the  wicked  plot  to  destroy  the  English, 

Massasoit 

Unfolds  a        already  spoken  of,   but  of  which    they 

were  then  ignorant.     He  said  that  the 

people  of  Xauset,   Pamet,  Succonet,   Mattachiest, 


156  ON    I'LYMOUTH    ROCK 

Manomet,  and  Agawam  were  all  joined  in  the 
conspiracy.  He  himself  had  been  urged  to  join 
the  league,  but  had  held  back.  "  Now,"  said 
Massasoit,  "  my  advice  is  to  kill  those  Massa- 
chusetts men,  who  are  the  ringleaders  in  this  plot. 
If  your  English  friends  say  they  will  not  strike  a 
blow  till  they  themselves  are  struck  first,  tell  them 
that  when  their  countrymen  at  Wessaguscus  arc  all 
dead,  it  will  be  too  late." 

On  the  way  home  the  party  stopped  over  night 
with  their  old  enemy  Corbitant,  who  treated  them 
kindly.  Seeing  them  ask  a  blessing  both  before 
and  after  eating,  he  demanded  the  reason  of  it. 
When  they  told  him,  he  gravely  listened  like  one 
lost  in  wonder.  He  then  asked  about  their  custom 
of  receiving  visitors  at  the  muzzles  of  their  guns, 
when  these  visitors  came  to  Plymouth.  To  this 
they  replied  that  it  was  honoring  their  guests  to 
receive  them  in  that  manner.  But  Corbitant  shook 
his  head;  saying  he  liked  not  such  honors  ;  and  to 
be  plain,  we  do  not  think  the  white  men  were  quite 
frank  with  him. 

Mindful  of  what  Massasoit  had  charged  him  with, 
Piobomock    unfolded   it  to  Winslow   by  the  way. 


A   GOOD    DEED   NEVER    UNREWARDED        1 57 

If  this  tale  did  not  put  vigor  into  their  footsteps, 
we  do  not  know  what  would  ;  for  now  life  and  death 
were  in  their  haste. 

Upon  their  report,  an  Indian,  who  had  been 
hanging  round  the  town  to  spy  out  their  move- 
ments, was  sent  packing  home.  Truly  they  were 
hedged  about  with  enemies. 


158  UN    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 


XVIII 

WESTON'S    COLONY    BREAKS    UP 

Meanwhile  the  Wessaguscus  people  had  fallen 
into  such  shiftless  ways  as  to  be  at  the  mercy 
of  the  savages  whenever  the  plot  was  ripe  for 
action.  They  were  now  in  a  fair  way  to  die  of 
starvation,  even  if  the  savages  should  let  them 
alone. 

During  their  own  pinching  times,  when  starva- 
tion had  threatened  them  so  near,  the  Plymouth 
people  had  all  hung  together  as  one  man,  and  all 
shared  alike,  keeping  up  their  own  courage  bravely, 
while  still  holding  the  savages  in  a  wholesome  fear 
of  them. 

But  these  other  people  acted  quite  differently. 
Things  had  gone  from  bad  to  worse  with  them, 
until  it  was  every  man  for  himself  and  nobody  for 
his  neighbor.  When  food  grew  scarce,  they  sold 
the  clothes  off  their  backs  to  the  Indians  for  corn, 
as  prisoners  sometimes  do  to  their  guards,  to  get 


WESTON'S    COLONY    BREAKS    UI'  I  59 

soiiictliins^  to   cat;    and   when   tlic\'  liad   put  away 
all  they  had  to  sell,  they   roamed  about 

Starving  ,  ,  ,   ,  i  i     i 

Time.  the  seashore,  cold,  ragged,  and   hungry. 

One  of  these  poor  creatures,  while 
gathering  shellfish  to  keep  body  and  soul  together, 
was  found  dead,  stuck  fast  in  the  mud  where  he 
stood.  Nor  was  he  the  only  one  who  died  miser- 
ably of  cold  and  hunger. 

Indeed,  so  intent  were  these  famishing  colonists 
upon  this  one  effort  to  live  from  day  to  day,  that 
they  might  almost  be  said  to  be  digging  their  own 
graves.  Some  would  cut  wood  and  fetch  water  for 
the  Indians  for  a  capful  of  corn.  Others,  more 
reckless,  stole  it  outright,  which  made  the  Indians 
so  angry  that  one  of  the  thieves  was  hung,  as  an 
example  to  the  rest. 

And  these  were  the  sort  of  men  with  whom 
Master  Weston  was  going  to  show  the  Plymouth 
people  how  a  colony  ought  to  be  carried  on  ! 
Like  a  badly  built  house,  it  was  already  falling  to 
pieces. 

At  last  most  of  the  settlers  were  forced  to  leave 
their  cabins,  the  better  to  range  the  woods  for 
ground  nuts  or  the  shores  for  clams,  only  a   few 


l6o  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

keeping  together  in  any  one  place.  Seeing  them 
brought  so  low,  the  Indians  insulted  and  bullied 
them  shamefully  without  their  daring  to  resent  it; 
and  now  indeed  was  their  degradation  completed. 

Seeing  no  other  hope  left,  one  man  packed  up 
what  few  things  he  could  carry,  and  with  great  dif- 
ficulty—  for  he  did  not  know  a  step  of  the  way 
—  made  out  to  get  to  Plymouth,  half  dead  with 
fatigue.  An  Indian  followed  him  to  kill  him,  but 
luckily  lost  the  track  in  the  woods. 

This  man's  story  was  about  what  has  been 
already  told.  He  said  that  he  dared  sta}'  no 
longer,  for  fear  all  of  them  would  be  knocked  in 
the  head.  The  Plymouth  men  clearly  saw  that  if 
they  were  going  to  do  anything  at  all,  now 
1623'^  ^^  ^^^^  ^^^^  time.  So  the  yearly  Court-day 
being  come  round  again  (March  23),  war 
was  declared  against  the  Massachusetts  Indians. 

Accordingly  Standish,  with  only  eight  men  be- 
sides himself  and  Hobomock,  started  off  for  Wes- 
saguscus.    The  reason  that  no  more  went 

Standish  Goes  i  i  i  i  j     u 

.   .u  D  was  because  a  larger  number  would  be 

to  the  Rescue.  c> 

likely  to  create  suspicion,  and  Standish 
did  hot  mean  to  let  the  Indians  know  what  he  came 


WESTON'S    COLONY    I5REAIs.S    UI'  l6l 

for,  until  he  could  get  them  where  he  wanted  them. 
As  the  Indians  had  often  practised  deceit  to  kill 
him,  so  he  now  meant  to  set  a  trap  for  them, 
as  cunning  as   he   knew   them  to  be. 

We  have  no  right  to  condemn  Standish.  At 
this  very  day  it  is  considered  all  fair  for  a  general 
to  deceive  his  enemy  by  writing  false  dispatches. 
Even  George  Washington  did  this  thing,  and 
nobody  has  blamed  him  for  it.  True,  the  Indians 
had  not  yet  declared  open  war;  but  they  were 
only  biding  their  time,  and  to  wait  for  them  to 
begin  would  be,  as  Massasoit  truly  said,  a  terrible 
mistake. 

So,  when  Standish  came  to  Wessaguscus,  he 
took  care  to  hide  his  real  purpose  from  the 
Indians.  But  like  all  who  know  their  own  guilt 
they  were  wary,  suspicious,  and  kept  themselves 
out  of  Standish's  w^ay.  Finding  the  settlers 
ignorant  of  the  plot,  Standish  told  them  to  call  in 
their  men,  and  waited  for  his  own  plans  to  work 
themselves  out. 

By  and  by  a  solitary  Indian  came  in,  as  if  to 
trade,  and  soon  went  away  again.  Then  another, 
who  was  called  Pecksuot,  plucked    up  heart  and 


I 62  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

came  also.  Finding  Hobomock  there,  Pecksuot 
told  Hobomock  to  tell  the  captain  that  the  Indians 
knew  he  was  come  there  to  kill  them,  but  that  they 
neither  feared  him  nor  would  shun  him.  "  Tell 
him  to  begin  as  soon  as  he  likes,"  said  the  boast- 
ful Pecksuot,  "  he  will  find  us  ready  for  him." 

Standish  kept  quiet.  As  he  did  so,  little  by 
little  the  Indians  began  to  show  themselves  more 
freely,  and  presently  the  arch  villain  of  them  all, 
Wituwamat  himself,  walked  boldly  into  Standish's 
trap.  Once  there  he  began  his  old  game  of  brag- 
ging and  threatening,  as  if  the  English  had  been 
all  so  many  cowards  to  be  frightened  by  big 
words.  Growing  bolder,  he  would  play  with  the 
handle  of  his  knife,  saying  "  by  and  by  it  should 
see ;  and  by  and  by  it  should  eat,  but  not  speak." 
Not  to  be  outdone,  Pecksuot  told  Standish,  to  his 
face,  that  "  although  he  was  a  great  captain,  yet 
he  was  but  a  little  man,"  while  he,  Pecksuot, 
"  though  no  sachem,  was  a  man  of  great  strength 
and  courage."  Indeed,  he  was  doing  his  best  to 
pick  a  quarrel. 

Standish  let  them  talk.  At  last,  having  got 
Wituwamat    and    Pecksuot,   with   two   more,    in    a 


WESTON'S    COLONY   RREAKS    UP  1 63 

room  with  some  of  his  own  men,  Standish  gave 
the  word  ;  the  door  was  quickly  shut,  and  he  and 
liis  followers  threw  themselves  upon  the 
Indians,  before  they  had  time  even  to 
draw  a  weapon.  A  terrible  struggle  took  place, 
hand  to  hand,  no  mercy  being  given  or  expected. 
Death  blows  were  dealt  and  received  without  a  cry 
being  raised  or  a  word  uttered.  Standish  singled 
out  Pecksuot.  A  fierce  tussle  ensued  for  the 
possession  of  Pecksuot's  knife.  Standish  tore  it 
from  the  savage's  grasp,  and  stabbed  him  to  the 
heart.  Wituwamat  and  one  more  were  also  slain 
on  the  spot.  The  fourth  Indian,  a  mere  youth, 
was  presently  hanged. 

Hobomock  had  been  merely  a  looker-on. 
After  the  affra}'  was  over  he  said  to  Standish, 
"Yesterday  Pecksuot  bragged  of  his  own  strength 
and  stature,  but  to-day  I  see  that  you  are  big 
enough  to  lay  him  on  the  ground." 

Two  or  three  more  Indians  were  slain  after  this, 
but  the  body  of  them,  being  now  alarmed,  escaped 
to  the  woods,  where  it  was  useless  to  follow  therr 
farther. 

Standish  now  offered   to   take   the  Wessaguscus* 


164  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

people  back  to  Plymouth  with  him,  if  they  so 
desired.  But  they  chose  rather  to  go  away,  in 
their  own  ship,  to  the  fishing  grounds  of  the  east- 
ern coast,  hoping  to  get  a  passage  to  England 
from  there.  So  Standish  helped  them 
Abandoned.  ^^  o"  board  their  ship,  gave  them  all 
the  corn  he  could  spare  for  their  voyage, 
and  when  he  had  seen  them  sail  away,  he  and  his 
followers  returned  to  Plymouth,  bringing  with 
them  the  head  of  Wituwamat,  as  they  were 
ordered. 

These  acts  struck  such  terror  among  the  Indians 
that,  from  far  and  near,  they  hastened  to  make 
their  peace  with  the  redoubtable  Englishmen,  who 
could  deal  such  terrible  blows  upon  their  enemies. 


THE  GREAT  DROUTH  165 


XIX 


THE    GREAT    DROUTH 


The  month  of  April  having  come  round  again, 
all  hands  began  to  get  ready  for  planting.  There 
was  just  enough  corn  left  in  the  granary  for  seed, 
and  no  more.  We  hav^e  seen  that  from 
^" '  '  ^^'  one  or  another  cause,  the  people,  hith- 
erto had  not  raised  enough  for  their  own  support. 
All  were  fully  agreed  that  it  was  high  time  to 
put  an  end  to  this  way  of  living  from  hand  to 
mouth.  Therefore  every  other  kind  of  work  was 
to  be  put  off  until  planting  was  done. 

Now,  after  a  fair  trial,  the  chief  men  were  forced 
to  admit  that  the  old  way  of  all  working  for  all 
was  a  failure.  The  wisest  men  are  those  who  see 
their  own  mistakes  and  profit  by  them.  So,  now, 
the  wise  men  of  Plymouth  saw  that  more  and 
better  work  would  be  done  b\^  letting  each  man 
plant  for  himself,  because  every  one  would  then 
do  his  best  to  lay  up  a  store  for  his  own  family; 


l66  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

whereas,  under  the  old  plan,  only  a  few  were  willing 
workers,  while  drones  and  honest  toilers  shared  all 
alike.     This  was  unjust. 

This  simple  statement  contains  the  whole  phi- 
losophy of  what  is  called  communal  government. 
These  colonists,  having  tried  it  to  their  sorrow, 
now  resolved  to  let  every  man  enjoy  the  fruits  of 
his  own  toil,  as  God  had  meant  he  should.  To 
each  man,  therefore,  a  certain  piece  of  ground 
was  set  off  to  work  for  himself;  only  a  tithe  or 
toll  being  taken  from  what  he  should  raise,  for 
the  support  of  the  public  officers,  or  such  as  were 
employed  in  the  public  service. 

By  the  time  that  planting  was  done,  there  was 
no  more  food  left  in  the  town  ;  so  that  it  was  well 
said  by  one  of  them,  that  above  all  the  people  in 
the  world,  they  had  need  to  pray  that  God  would 
give  them  their  daily  bread. 

To  keep  them  through  the  summer,  all  the  men 
took  turns  in  going  out  fishing  in  the  shallop. 
As  soon  as  one  gang  came  in,  another  immediately 
went  out  again;  nor  did  they  return  until  they 
had  caught  something,  no  matter  if  it  kept  them 
out  a  week  at  a  time  ;    as   they  knew  how  it  would 


THE    GREAT   DROUTH  1 6/ 

discourage  the  people  to  see  them  come  back 
empty  handed.  If  the  boat  stayed  away  a  long 
time,  all  hands  would  go  to  digging  clams  at  low 
tide.     This  was  the  way  they  lived  all  summer.' 

Yet  after  taking  so  much  pains  and  practising 
so  much  self-denial,  they  were  put  in  great  fear  of 
losing  their  crop  of  corn  from  drouth.  Was  there 
to  be  no  luck  in  anything  they  attempted?  It 
really  seemed  so.  For  six  weeks  after  planting  it 
hardly  rained  at  all ;  so  that  the  stunted  corn 
began  to  send  forth  the  ear  before  the  stalk  was 
half  grown.  Of  some  that  was  planted  later,  both 
blade  and  stalk  were  burning  up.  And  now  was 
all  the  joy,  with  which  the  harvest  had  been 
looked  forward   to,  turned  to   mourning. 

And  then,  to  heighten  their  distress,  they  heard 
of  a  supply  ship  sent  out  to  them,  which  twice 
had  put  to  sea  and  twice  been  beaten  back,  by 
gales,  to  the  home  port. 

We  do  not  need  to  be  told  that  there  were  heavy 
hearts  in  riymouth.  We  can  easily  fanc)-  the 
blank  looks  with  which  this  last  news  was  listened 
to.  Would  neither  land  nor  sea  afford  them  relief? 
If  not,  where  should  they  seek  it? 


l68  ON    PT,YM()UTH    ROCK 

Did  they  fall  to  cursin<^  and  reviling,  as  men 
sometimes  do  in  desperate  straits?  Not  they. 
Nothing  could  shake  their  simple  faith  in  the  power 
of  One  above  to  hear  and  help  them  in  this  their 
hour  of  trial.  They  believed  that  every  syllable 
of  the  Bible  was  the  actual  Word  of 
R^^n^"^^  °^  God.  And  now  it  was  remembered 
how  the  Prophet  Elijah  had  obtained 
rain  by  prayer  and  supplication  to  the  Lord,  from 
the  top  of  Mount  Carmel ;  and  so  they,  too,  went 
up  to  their  mount,  to  spend  the  day  in  fasting  and 
prayer  for  rain. 

No  work  was  done  on  that  day.  And  who  shall 
say  that  their  prayers  were  not  answered?  For 
although  in  the  morning,  when  they  first  met 
together,  the  skies  were  bright  and  cloudless,  yet 
after  some  hours  of  prayer,  slowly  the  clouds  began 
to  gather  and  the  sun  to  abate  his  scorching 
heat,  and  on  the  very  next  morning  the  prayed- 
for  rain  was  falling  fast.  Then  were  their  droop- 
ing spirits  and  drooping  corn  brought  to  life 
again. 

Poor,  ignorant  Hobomock  was  amazed.  Seeing 
all  the  people  going  up  to  their  church,  and  on  a 


THE    GREAT   DROUTH  1 69 

week-day  too,  he  asked  a  bo}-  to  tell  him  what  it 
meant.  The  lad  told  him.  Even  Hobomock 
could  understand  this  ;  for  his  people  were  in  the 
habit  of  invoking  their  god  also,,  in  a  time  of 
drouth.  But  when  the  rain  did  come,  this  Indian 
was  lost  in  wonder. 

So  the  day  of  fasting  and  pra\'er  was  quickly 
followed  by  one  of  thanksgiving  and  praise  ;  for 
these  truly  pious  people  did  not  forget  in  the  hour 
of  rejoicing  how  lately  they  had  been  supplicants 
for  the  thrice-blessed  rain  from  heaven. 

Much  at  the  same  time  Standish  returned  from 
a  coasting  voyage,  bringing  with  him  one  David 
Thompson,  newly  settled  at  Piscataqua,  a  place 
many  leagues  up  the  coast. 

In  the  latter  part  of  July,  two  ships,  with  about 
sixty  passengers,  sailed  into  the  long-deserted 
harbor.  All  were  in  health,  as  well  as  all  on 
shore.  The  larger  ship,  called  the  "  Anne,"  was 
sent  home  with  a  cargo  of  clapboards  and  beaver, 
and  in  her  went  Edward  Winslow,  as 
r^°rl!.  Tr,'''^      their    acrent,  to   settle  their  affairs   with 

Uome  in.  o  ' 

their    merchant    partners    in    England ; 
for,    truth    to    sa\'.    their    affairs     were     in     much 


I/O  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

disorder.  The  lesser  ship  was  built  for  the  use 
of  the  colony. 

When  the  new-comers  saw  the  poor  condition 
of  the  people  on  shore,  some  being  in  rags,  some 
little  better  ofif,  and  all  looking  pale  and  thin, 
there  was  a  curious  scene.  Some  wished  them- 
selves back  in  England ;  some  burst  into  tears, 
thinking  that  they  themselves  could  expect  to 
fare  no  better  than  what  they  saw  before  them. 
The  best  the  colonists  could  set  before  their  new 
and  old  friends  (for  some  were  old  Leyden 
friends)  was  a  lobster  or  a  piece  of  fish,  without 
either  bread,  vegetables,  or  anything  else  but  a 
cup  of  clear,  cool  spring  water  to  wash  it  down 
with. 

But  this  supply  of  men,  women,  and  children, 
with  such  goods  as  they  had  brought  over,  so 
strengthened  this  weak  colony  that  fears  for  the 
future  could  now  safely  be  laid  aside.  By  the 
coming  of  the  "  Anne,"  parents  and  their  children, 
who  had  lived  apart  all  these  years,  were  once 
more  united.  Some  of  the  new-comers,  also,  were 
well-to-do  people,  for  the  times.  Long  and 
vainly  the  old  colonists  had   looked   for  help   from 


THE    GREAT    DROUTH 


171 


Bradford's  Monument,  Burial  Hill. 


across  the  ocean.  It  had  come  at  last ;  but  not 
before  the  lesson  of  self-help  had  been  well 
learned,   and  the  victory  won. 

Bv    the    time    that   the  "Anne"  was    readv  to 


172  ON    PLYMOUTH    ROCK 

sail,  harvest  time  had  come  again;  and  now 
instead  of  famine  the  pious  Bradford  says  that 
"  God  gave  them  plenty,  and  the  face  of  all  things 
was  so  changed,  that  no  general  want  or  famine 
hath  been  among  them  to  this  day." 

1  Samuel  Adams  had  this  in  mind  when  he  said  of  the  Pilgrims, 
"  The  heroes  who  first  trod  on  your  shore  fed  on  clams  and  mussels, 
and  were  contented." 


The  story  is  all  told.  What  remains  is  only 
the  calm  course  of  uneventful  years.  True,  the 
colony  did  not  grow  great  or  rich,  or  overspread 
the  land  ;  but  in  its  humble  way  it  laid  the  corner- 
stone of  this  great  republic ;  not  in  blood  or 
conquest,  but  all  in  simple  faith  and  honor.  For 
seventy  years  it  has  a  history  of  its  own.  After 
that  it  was  absorbed  by  the  greater  Massachusetts 
colony.  "  May  God,  in  His  mercy,  grant  that  the 
moral  impulse  which  founded  this  nation  may 
never  cease  to  control  its  destiny ;  that  no  act  of 
any  future  generation  may  put  in  peril  the  great 
principles  on  which  it  is  based,  of  equal  rights  in 
a  free  State,  equal  privileges  in  a  free  church,  and 
equal  opportunities  in  a  free  school." 


THE    GREAT    DROUTH  1 73 

These  noble  words  were  spoken  by  Governor 
Wolcott  upon  receivini^  the  venerable  Bradford 
manuscript  from  the  hands  of  Mr.  Bayard.  None 
could  more  truly  breathe  the  spirit  of  a  lofty, 
broad-minded   patriotism. 


ln^ 


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